Our systems are working to support the next phase of the NHS Response to Covid-19 in line with national guidance. The guidance was released to Primary Care on the 1 May, 2020. Here is an outline of what the Primary Care teams and Systems are currently working on and what we will need to work on going forward.
Currently we are working collectively to deliver;
- continued NHS testing of all patients prior to discharge to care homes
- CCG directors of nursing assisting local authorities with training in infection prevention and control
- Supporting different staff groups to take up opportunities in care homes
We will continue to work with primary care and community health services to build on what GP practices are already doing. This will be through ensuring
- timely access to clinical advice for care home staff and residents
- proactive support for people living in care homes, including through personalised care and support planning as appropriate
- care home residents with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are supported through remote monitoring – and face-to-face assessment where clinically appropriate – by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) where practically possible
- Sensitive and collaborative decisions around hospital admissions for care home residents if they are likely to benefit.
- Provision of pharmacy and medication support to care homes
We thank you for your ongoing support in working collaboratively to deliver the right support to our providers. Current and future changes may impact on your processes and each System will work with you to ensure we maintain or improve care for our residents in NEL over the coming months
Reuse of EOLC Medication
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has produced a standard operating procedure (SOP) that will allow care homes and hospices to reuse medicines on the condition they carry out a risk assessment on each medicine using the principles;
- No other stock of the medicine are available in an appropriate timeframe and there is an immediate patient need
- No suitable alternatives for an individual patient are available
- The benefits of using a medicine that is no longer needed by the person for whom it was originally prescribed or bought outweigh any risks for an individual patient receiving that unused medicine
The CQC will expect any re-use of medicines to be in line with the recommendations set out in SOP and that it is implemented in a safe and effectively manner.
If you have any queries in regards the reuse of prescribed medicines the contact details for each system is as follows:
- Tower hamlets – medicinesoptimisation@nhs.net
- BHR – management@nhs.net
- Waltham Forest and Newham MedicinesOptimisation@nhs.net
- CH – cityandhackneymedicines@nhs.net
Diabetes Care Home guidance – update
Diabetes UK and the Joint British Diabetes Societies for Inpatient Care, have provided key advice for Care Home managers who are supporting residents with diabetes. This advice includes;
- Equip your care home with sufficient capillary blood glucose (sugar) strips (with a meter) and strips for ketones if possible
- Have available a hypoglycaemia treatment kit plus intramuscular (IM) glucagon, and replenish the kit each time it is has been used
- Maintain a written record of a resident’s blood glucose, medications, temperature, food chart and body weight
- Have a daily foot care surveillance plan in place for all residents with diabetes to ensure good foot health is maintained
- Ensure good communication with your local diabetes specialist nurses, the community nursing service, and with your primary care team who are available to provide you and your staff with support and guidance at all times
- FAQs and key contacts (how many cases constitute an outbreak? What care should I take with BAME residents?)