Guidance for PCN additional roles reimbursement has been published in a letter to Commissioners from Robert Kettell, Deputy Director of Primary Care Networks at NHS England.  The guidance provides detailed advice on how CCGs should assess reimbursement claims from PCNs, including the principles for additionality. The guidance also sets out the actions that PCNs and CCGs are expected to take if they are not planning to use the full additional roles reimbursement funding in 2019/20, and clarifies that additional roles reimbursement funding cannot be used outside the terms of the DES (including, for example, higher levels of reimbursement for costs not specified in the DES).  Also available within the letter is information on: Data sharing agreements, data processing, and recording PCNs in CQRS by CCGs.

Following concerns raised about indemnity cover provided for the provision of flu immunisations to practice staff, we have been in discussion with NHS England, Public Health England and the MDOs. The Medical Defence Union have provided the following statement about indemnity for flu vaccination of staff in GP practices: -

Public Health England has just published a review on prescribed medicines this week. The findings show that over 5M people in Britain have been prescribed opioids every year - or one in eight of the adult population. Commenting, Andrew Green, BMA Council Member and previous GPC prescribing lead, said: "To reduce prescription levels, we need significant investment in support services.  This will enable patients and GPs to manage dependencies in the community.  GPs will often be the sole clinicians who are often managing a patient's withdrawal, and there is a real need for better clinical guidance in this respect. We are glad that NICE is in the process of developing these. Whilst there remains a place for prescribing these drugs, we need many more alternative to medication, such as pain clinics, improved access to mental health services, and physiotherapy - the universal provision of which are all lacking."

You will be aware that most of the nearly 7000 GP practices iin England have taken up the PCN DES. This would not have been possible without the LMC's supporting practices locally to forge relationships and to facilitiate some difficult conversations between practices.  Acknowledging that this is the first step in the process, and that PCNs will continue to develop over time with Clinical Directors' leadership, the BMA has been developing a package of support for Clinical Directors and PCNs.  Prior to launch at the end of September, we wanted to provide you with some information on what it will include, to support PCNs in choosing their support for their own development.