ICB · Primary Care Brief
ICB Primary Care Brief – Issue 12, 21 August 2026
23 items
In this issue
Medicines Management updates
- Risperidone 1mg orodispersible tablets: limited supply
Guidance Prescribing & medicines
In brief
Limited until about 25 September 2026. Don't start new patients on this preparation.
- Palliative care drugs: bank holiday supply poster
Guidance Prescribing & medicines
In brief
A poster listing community pharmacies stocking specialist palliative care drugs over bank holidays is in the BSol Medicines Management Hub.
General updates
- Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak: UKHSA update
News Public health
In brief
An updated UKHSA briefing on the national Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak.
- Tick-borne encephalitis in the UK: UKHSA briefing
Guidance Public health
In brief
Human cases of tick-borne encephalitis are rising, mainly in southern England. UKHSA sets out what clinicians should look out for.
- Enterovirus meningitis clusters in nurseries (West Midlands) (first in Issue 10)
News Public health
In brief
UKHSA reports clusters of viral meningitis linked to nurseries in the Black Country and Staffordshire, plus a general rise in cases.
- Heartlands Hospital: delays processing GP biochemistry samples
News Referrals & hospital services
In brief
UHB warned of delays at Heartlands affecting turnaround times and some results, such as potassium and phosphate.
- General Practice Staff Survey: submit staff lists by 1 September
Guidance Workforce & employment Deadline: 1 September
In brief
A contract requirement for practices and PCNs: submit staff details for the 2026/27 GP Staff Survey.
- Survey: practice registration with LFPSE
Have your say CQC, regulation & governance Closes: 30 September
In brief
A short ICB survey on how many practices have registered with the Learning from Patient Safety Events system.
- Midlands Controlled Drugs newsletter (August 2026)
News Prescribing & medicines
In brief
Covers the CQC annual controlled drugs report, prevention of future deaths learning and preventing diversion.
- SAFE-D study: blood test for early pancreatic cancer in new type 2 diabetes
Have your say Referrals & hospital services
In brief
Practices are invited to join a study of the Avantect blood test in people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It starts mid-September in the West Midlands.
Immunisations and vaccinations
- Autumn 2026 COVID-19 programme: provider support sessions
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
The provider-led supply model continues. Support sessions cover FDP ordering and allocation for the autumn programme.
- Flu programme 2026/27: guidance for healthcare practitioners
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
UKHSA's practitioner guidance for the 2026/27 national flu programme.
- Immunisation and health equity: resources
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
UKHSA resources on health equity for immunisation practitioners.
- RSV programme: updated guidance for older adults' risk groups
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
Practitioner guidance updated for the extension of RSV vaccination to at-risk adults aged 65–74 from September.
- Maternal RSV vaccine: newborn ICU admissions down 50%
News Vaccinations & screening
In brief
UKHSA data shows severe RSV infections in young babies halved in the first full winter of the maternal programme.
- MMRV vaccination: easy read guide
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
An easy read guide to the MMRV vaccine on GOV.UK.
- One-off MenB programme: no payment for practices
Guidance Vaccinations & screening, Contracts & funding
In brief
The student and young person MenB programme is commissioned from community pharmacy, so practices that give it can't claim payment.
Safeguarding
- Safeguarding resources now on the Practice Index Hub
Guidance CQC, regulation & governance
In brief
For practices using the Practice Index Hub, the same safeguarding resources as Clarity TeamNet are now available there.
Events and opportunities
- NSPCC: recognising and responding to child sexual abuse
Event CQC, regulation & governance Event date: 22 September
In brief
NSPCC sessions on spotting signs of hidden child sexual abuse, with an updated statistics briefing.
- BSol GP cancer education webinar, 8 September
Event Referrals & hospital services Event date: 8 September
In brief
The latest cancer pathways and initiatives for primary care, chaired by Dr Kulbir Tajuria.
- Pancreatic cancer in primary care webinar, 4 November
Event Referrals & hospital services Event date: 4 November
In brief
West Midlands Cancer Alliance and Pancreatic Cancer UK webinar on recognising pancreatic cancer symptoms and referral.
- West Midlands SARC webinar, 10 November
Event CQC, regulation & governance Event date: 10 November
In brief
When and how to refer to the SARC, child sexual abuse examinations, and support from Black Country Women's Aid.
- Prostate Cancer UK webinar: early detection and Black health equity, 24 September (first in Issue 10)
Event Referrals & hospital services Event date: 24 September
In brief
A lunchtime webinar on prostate cancer early detection and inequalities in the West Midlands.
6 items for other places (Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Solihull and the Black Country) or of no relevance to Birmingham practices are not shown.