Primary Care support is needed to boost recruitment into community based COVID research study
The UK led PRINCIPLE study is evaluating whether early treatment in the community speeds up recovery and reduces the need for hospitalisation. The innovative study design enables people from anywhere in the UK to register and participate in the trial entirely remotely. 2,000 participants have been recruited so far but many more are needed. PRINCIPLE calls on the support of general practice to help identify potential participants, aged 50 and over with symptoms of COVID-19, and direct them to self-screen via the website to join the study.
- Revised guidance on self-isolation states that patients who meet the case definition for Covid-19 should stay at home/isolate for 10 days or until a negative swab result.
- Guidance and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for general practice in the context of coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found here (updated 22nd December 2020)
- Remote assessment in primary care : BMJ paper from March 2020 about assessing shortness of breath using a series of narrative questions remains sound.
SEL-wide guidance on pulse oximetry
- SEL Printable Patient guide: how to use your pulse oximeter leaflet and diary for patients (Updated December 2020 to align with NHSE guide below). Instructions for how set up to print can be found here.
- NHS England Patient Guide and Diary including red flags for deterioration and when to seek help
- Remote monitoring Covid-19 Diary Video for Patients from Health Education England
- Information for primary care about the Pulse oximeter distribution scheme (May 2020)
NHS England has produced a Standard Operating Procedure for Pulse Oximetry @home services.
- The National COVID Oximetry @home pathway should be available to people who are:
- Diagnosed with COVID-19: either clinically or positive test result AND
- Symptomatic AND EITHER
- i. Aged 65 years or older OR
- ii. Under 65 years and clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID.
Bexley
Greenwich
- Greenwich: Managing patients in general practice during Covid (pathway)
- Greenwich: Managing patients in general practice during Covid (summary)
- Greenwich: In Hours Home Visiting Service [Greenbrook]
Lewisham
- Lewisham: patient pathway including COVID-19 detailing pathways through available clinical services
- Lewisham Primary Care Guide for suspected COVID-19 detailing how to remotely assess and manage suspected covid patients
- Lewisham COVID-19 hot site clinical flow detailing the clinical flow of patients assessed face-to-face at hot hub
Southwark
- Southwark: Covid pathways and guidance including monitoring guidance
- IHL Guide to Seeing patients with suspected COVID-19 in general practice: lessons learnt and important considerations
- Film describing the South Southwark (IHL) COVID-19 Community clinic, including donning and doffing of PPE
Practices should ensure they notify the CCG where any staff members test positive for Covid-19. This is vital to help reduce the spread of the virus and ensure practices are properly supported.
Practices should inform the London Coronavirus Response Cell (LCRC) at lcrc@phe.gov.uk and/or 0300 303 4500 , the SELCCG Incident Coordination Centre via selccg.incident@nhs.net and your borough-specific primary care lead.
A new self-isolation hub has also been launched by NHS Test and Trace (and supported by the LCRC) to help employers and employees through the process. Practices are encouraged to contact the hub on 020 3743 6715 as soon as a positive case has been identified. The hub require details of the test and trace reference number.
Immediate Actions in response to mink-variant SARS-CoV-2 virus in Denmark (Updated 7th November 2020)
Letter from National Medical Director, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Medical Director of PHE with immediate actions, including for General Practice.
Implementation support for COVID-19 remote pulse oximetry services
NHS England and NHS Improvement is working with the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) and local areas to support the continued set-up of ‘COVID Oximetry @home’ services (also known as ‘COVID virtual wards’). This is one of the priority goals for the additional £150m General Practice COVID Capacity Expansion Fund and is already used in many areas to help detect earlier deterioration of people with COVID-19, both in the community and in care homes. To find out more, including the support available, CCG colleagues are invited to attend one of two national webinars listed below.
All CCGs can continue to request oximeters for local use by emailing england.home@nhs.net. Allocation will take account of local infection rates and previous requests. Primary care network colleagues should contact their CCG if they feel there is an urgent requirement of which their CCG is not already aware. Oximeters will be transferred to CCGs so there is no VAT liability for practices or PCNs.