NHS England could intervene in GP disputes over single point of access
NHS England may step in where practices and hospital trusts cannot agree how the new single point of access for patients’ hospital queries should work.
Category Referrals & hospital services
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Elective Single Point of Access and e-RS: what it means for practices
National SPoA guidance confirms GPs keep referral decisions and there is no referral-diversion target. Keep using e-RS and existing specialties and clinic types; the new e-RS specialties switch over on 4 December.
e-RS fault: Clinical Information Summary PDFs from SystmOne and EMIS (9–12 October)
Referrals created between 9 October (23:51) and 12 October could not be downloaded as PDFs by providers. The fix doesn't correct those referrals, so providers may ask you to resend the information.
GatewayC: new cancer keys on breast pain and breast cancer symptoms
Two new short GatewayC learning resources: whether breast pain is a symptom of breast cancer, and breast cancer symptoms beyond a lump.
Webinar: genomics and rare cancers, 27 October
Central and South Genomics explain when genomic testing may be needed for rare cancers and how to talk to patients about it.
Webinar: supporting patients through genomic testing, 4 December
Launch of patient materials co-created with patient experts to help people through genomic testing. Open to everyone.
New podcast explores primary care’s role in cancer plan delivery
A Transforming Primary Care podcast episode in which PCN cancer leads discuss how primary care is helping deliver the National Cancer Plan.
Elective Single Point of Access: technical guidance
Guidance on rolling out elective single point of access: more advice and guidance, digital assessment through e-RS and clear specialist response times. It doesn’t change referral thresholds or override GP clinical judgement.
More than 60% of patients contacted GP while waiting for other care, poll finds
Over 60% of patients contacted their practice at least once in the past year while waiting for another NHS service: evidence of the knock-on workload long waits create for practices.
GPs should have ‘clear escalation routes’ for raising A&G safety concerns, says NHSE
NHS England's single point of access guidance asks practices to report delayed or unclear advice and guidance replies and to escalate safety concerns, and says A&G should still come before or instead of referral this year.