ICB · Primary Care Brief
ICB Primary Care Brief – Issue 19, 8 October 2026
25 items
In this issue
Medicines Management updates
- Levemir discontinuation: National Patient Safety Alert – switch all patients by 30 November
Guidance Prescribing & medicines Action by: 30 November
In brief
DHSC's National Patient Safety Alert (1 October): don't start anyone on Levemir, and switch every existing patient to an alternative insulin by 30 November 2026, seeking specialist advice where needed. Fewer than 230 patients remain on Levemir across the cluster.
General updates
- Diphtheria in the asylum-seeking population: UKHSA case and contact management
Guidance Public health, Vaccinations & screening
In brief
UKHSA's alert on sporadic toxigenic diphtheria cases among asylum seekers sets out how to manage cases and contacts, for front-line clinicians and those working with new arrivals.
- Children's blood lead results: UKHSA West Midlands changes how it follows up cases
Guidance Public health
In brief
UKHSA West Midlands now emails the notifying clinician with management advice for lower blood lead levels (up to 10µg/dL, or 10–30 with pica) and phones for higher-risk cases. How you notify doesn't change.
- UKHSA survey: women's experience of getting help for urinary symptoms
Have your say Public health
In brief
UKHSA wants women's real-world experience of managing urinary symptoms and seeking care. Practices are asked to share the survey and QR code flyer with patients.
- Penicillin vs penicillamine allergy recording: review by 20 November (first in Issue 13)
Guidance Prescribing & medicines, CQC, regulation & governance Action by: 20 November
In brief
Run the ICB's EMIS search for patients recorded as penicillamine-allergic who may actually be penicillin-allergic, and review each record (TPP search to follow). It's a National Patient Safety Alert, so CQC may act if it's not done.
Place updates
- Developmental Language Disorder awareness day, Great Barr Library, 16 October
Event Public health Event date: 16 October
In brief
Help, information and support on developmental language disorder for children, young people, adults and families. A poster and fact sheet are available to share.
- Launch of Birmingham's perinatal mental health and parent-infant strategy, 25 November
Event Public health Event date: 25 November
In brief
Primary care colleagues with an interest in perinatal mental health are invited to the launch of Birmingham's first perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship strategy (2026–2031) at the Council House, with a services marketplace.
Immunisations and vaccinations
- Seasonal vaccinations: use an assured IT system and complete the mandatory fields
Guidance Vaccinations & screening, IT, data & cyber security
In brief
Vaccination records must be created in an assured system. Using an unassured one (e.g. EMIS PCN Hub) means no payment and no automatic update of patients' records. GP systems now enforce mandatory COVID-19 fields, with flu to follow.
- Toolkit for vaccinating people experiencing homelessness
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
From 1 October people experiencing homelessness are eligible for flu and pneumococcal vaccines. A new provider toolkit and promotional resources are available.
- Pneumococcal vaccine: easy read patient information
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
An easy read leaflet on the pneumococcal vaccine is available for patients.
- MMRV catch-up: single dose for children born January 2020 – August 2022, from 1 November
Guidance Vaccinations & screening Starts: 1 November
In brief
From 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2028, children born 1 January 2020 – 31 August 2022 who haven't had chickenpox or two doses of varicella vaccine can have one MMRV dose. New resources support delivery.
- Uncertain or incomplete immunisation: guidance updated (including RSV eligibility)
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
UKHSA's guidance on vaccinating people with uncertain or incomplete histories has been updated, including revised RSV eligibility. Share with all relevant staff.
- Routine immunisation schedule updated from September 2026
Guidance Vaccinations & screening
In brief
The complete routine immunisation schedule has been updated for use from September 2026, including the expanded RSV eligibility.
Safeguarding
- New duty: councils must tell GP practices when children move into temporary accommodation
Guidance CQC, regulation & governance, Public health
In brief
From 1 September 2026, housing authorities must notify a child's GP practice when the child is placed in temporary accommodation. Practices should record it sensitively, review outstanding care and vulnerability, coordinate with 0–19 and safeguarding services, and keep access open.
- Webinar: reducing harm to babies living in temporary accommodation, 5 November
Event CQC, regulation & governance, Public health Event date: 5 November
In brief
An OHID Midlands webinar on how housing and temporary accommodation affect infant health, introducing the Midlands Healthy Babies self-assessment framework and information sharing pathway.
- Free training on technology-facilitated domestic abuse (Refuge) (first in Issue 17)
Event CQC, regulation & governance Last session: 11 February 2027
In brief
Three free virtual sessions for general practice staff on digital and tech-facilitated abuse.
- Com networks: police awareness sessions for professionals, 15 and 22 October
Event CQC, regulation & governance Last session: 22 October
In brief
Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands offers 20-minute sessions on online "Com" networks involved in grooming, sextortion and violence, and how to spot young people at risk.
Events and opportunities
- Cyber security webinars for primary care, 4 and 24 November (first in Issue 18)
Event IT, data & cyber security Last session: 24 November
In brief
NHS England and City of London Police Cyber Griffin webinars on current threats and the Data Security and Protection Toolkit.
- Sight loss awareness training (first in Issue 17)
Event Workforce & employment
In brief
Training for patient-facing staff on supporting patients who are blind or partially sighted.
- Possibilities Beyond Limits leadership programme: apply by 28 October (first in Issue 17)
Have your say Workforce & employment Closes: 28 October
In brief
A programme to help underrepresented staff (Black, Asian, ethnically diverse, disabled and neurodiverse) reach band 8a+ leadership roles.
- South Asian Health Foundation conference, Birmingham, 26–27 November (first in Issue 17)
Event Workforce & employment Event date: 26 November
In brief
The SAHF annual conference on diabetes, multimorbidity and frailty at the ICC/NCC.
- EMIS winter pressures webinars, 20 and 22 October (first in Issue 16)
Event IT, data & cyber security Event date: 20 October
In brief
Optum/EMIS webinars on capacity planning, slot creation and reporting ahead of winter.
- Pancreatic cancer in primary care webinar, 4 November (first in Issue 12)
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.
- Cancer care review training for practice nurses, 9 and 16 November (first in Issue 16)
Event Workforce & employment Last session: 16 November
In brief
A two-day course from Coventry and Warwickshire ICB, open to practice nurses across the West Midlands.
- West Midlands SARC webinar, 10 November (first in Issue 12)
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.
10 items for other places (Dudley, Solihull, Walsall and the Black Country) are not shown.