October 2024
A note from the Chair - Dr Johnny Burns
Dear Colleagues,
I trust this newsletter finds you well. As a Federation, we continue striving to support practices amid the significant challenges facing our NHS during these difficult times.
Workforce challenges remain at both the practice level and within our Federation, and we are actively recruiting for various roles, including GPPs, to enhance our support for practices. Efforts also continue on the GPP plan and development regionally, and we remain eager to see this implemented.
Our MDTs and GPPs continue to work tirelessly within practices, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their dedication. We look forward to the completion of our MDT service, as the next stage of the MDT rollout is expected to receive funding around Christmas 2024.
As mentioned previously, elective care work has been reduced in capacity, despite our best efforts to advocate for its importance. This reduction is a significant disappointment for those involved, with the budget now set at 50% until the end of the financial year. We will continue to push for the restoration of these sessions as soon as possible.
In response to current financial pressures, our team is actively developing cost-saving initiatives and will share these with practice managers. We hope these measures will prove helpful.
On behalf of the entire FSU team, we extend our gratitude for your support and patience as we continue working to support practices and their patients.
Encompass/Epic Transition on 7th November
On 7th November, the Northern Trust will transition to the new Encompass/Epic system. If you missed the training held on 16th October, you can access the full recording on the Northern Federation Support Unit website. The website also includes a feature to report any Encompass-related issues directly to the Northern Trust.
Visit www.northernfsu.co.uk/encompass for more details.
MDT - Senior Mental Health Practitioners
Louise McKechnie - Senior Mental Health Practitioner
The MDT senior mental health practitioners are experiencing a period of change and transition during which they continue to be extremely busy supporting all the GP practices in the Causeway GP Federation with their mental health expertise.
With this in mind we are absolutely delighted and excited to be welcoming Joanne into the new role of Deputy Manager!
Joanne is an incredible mental health practitioner who radiates with enthusiasm and passion for mental health.
Joanne has been working within the team as senior mental health nurse practitioner in Ballymoney for four years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience not only from her current role but also from her previous nursing roles within the local community mental health team, specialist forensic mental health practitioner and as a community mental health team leader.
Joanne she is a natural leader and the team will fully support her as develops her career in this new management role.
On the 10th of October, we celebrated WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY!
This year the theme was Staff Well being at Work. In Ballymoney Family practice, the Mental Health Practitioners provided the staff with a well being breakfast and facilitated staff with the practice of gratitude.
The mental health practitioners will continue to support and promote positive mental health for all the staff within the practice as Ballymoney Family Practice marked a very important milestone in the Practice history. On Tuesday 1st October, Ballymoney family Practice took on the patients of Drs Fannin, Hutchinson & Boyd Practice to become the Largest Practice in NI!
In recent community development news, Ballymoney mental health practitioners collaborated with MDT social worker Jule Ann Gamble to facilitate an interactive training session for local primary school teachers at Leaney Primary School. The session focused on recognising and managing workplace stress, incorporating psychoeducation, interactive exercises, and practicing positive stress management techniques such as mindfulness and self-care. The session was well-received, with the principal sharing positive feedback from all staff involved. We hope to maintain, grow, and strengthen these positive community links through further initiatives in the future.
Our staff continue to advance their skills, with several practitioners recently completing Psychological Well being Practitioner (PWP) Supervisor Training. We’re also delighted to welcome a number of UU PWP students, who will be supported by the team in delivering low-intensity CBT for patients within their practices.
As NHSCT prepares to transition to ENCOMPASS, our team recently completed an afternoon of in-house PBL ENCOMPASS training to ensure a smooth adaptation.
🎉We would like to extend our congratulations to Michelle Millar on her new permanent role with the team.
💙We also send our best wishes to Siobhan Bradley as she begins her maternity leave, and as always, our thoughts are with our team members and their families who are facing illness.
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to David McAuley as he moves on to join the NHSCT Specialist Community Perinatal Team. David has been an integral part of our team from the outset, contributing immensely to our cohesion and success. His approach, marked by kindness and a wonderful sense of humor, has made him a valued nurse practitioner and role model. Thank you, David! We wish you every success in your new role.
We welcome any suggestions on how we can improve our service, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything you would like to discuss.
MDT - First Contact Physiotherapists
Suzanne Kennedy - Consultant Physiotherapist
The First Contact Physiotherapy service continues to develop and we have now implemented the issuing of Med 3 Fit Notes. Although these are paper based all details are recorded on the GP systems.
I would like to welcome Dr Ethan Lowry to our First Contact Physiotherapy team in Causeway Federation. Ethan is very welcome and will be working in both Mountsandal and Liffock practices.
I would also like to welcome Bronagh O’Kane who has been appointed as administrative support for FCP and Social Work Leads. She is a very welcome addition to our team and will be based in Ballymoney along with Suzanne and Elizabeth.
I am delighted that the Obesity QI project in Ballymoney Family Practice was shortlisted in the Advancing Healthcare Awards in the category: AWARD FOR PARTNERSHIP WORKING IN PUBLIC HEALTH which is sponsored by Public Health Agency.
Suzanne Kennedy, Consultant Physiotherapist, Northern Health and Social Care Trust and Nuala Lamont, Senior Practice Manager, Causeway GP Federation
The project aimed to reduce the risk of health conditions associated with obesity by supporting and referring obese patients to healthy lifestyle programs to encourage positive behaviour changes which will result in a healthier, happier population reflected in an increase in physical activity, improved wellbeing and a reduction in BMI.
The poster was presented at the MDT Leadership and Learn Conference in June 2024 and was highly commended.
Nuala and Clare had a good evening attending the awards ceremony at Stormont Hotel in October 2024 despite losing out to the paramedic project which won this category.
🎉Congratulations to Paula McLister and Adam Wilson for successfully passing their Injection Course and can now provide this within their practices.
🙏Good luck to Paula McLister, Vikki Baird and Ethan Lowry who are embarking on the Non-Medical prescribing course over the next year and thankyou to the GP’s who are supporting and mentoring them with this.
📃The service user feedback from the regional 10,000 voices project and our own patient satisfaction survey continues to be very positive and demonstrates the good work being done on a daily basis by our teams.
MDT - Social Work
Elizabeth Craig - Social Work Lead
We are pleased to welcome two new Social Work Assistants to the team, each in part-time, three-day roles. Their contributions will be a valuable addition across our practices. Additionally, we have recruited a full-time administrator who will support both the MDT Social Work Lead and the First Contact Physiotherapy Lead. She began her role in September 2024.
We bid farewell to several team members who recently transitioned to new roles: Kerry Ferson from Lodge Health, who has moved to a full-time position with the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service in Ballymoney; Carla McLaughlin from Garvagh Surgery, who joined the Social Work Learning and Development Team at NHSCT; and Sara-Jane O’Donnell, who now holds a specialist project management role supporting children with special educational needs. We thank each of them for their dedicated service to MDT in the Causeway Federation.
We are delighted to have filled these positions, with new staff beginning in October and November. Jolene Keane will join Ballymoney Family Practice, Naomi Crutchley will start in Garvagh, and Emma Campbell is expected to join Frocess Medical Practice in the new year.
The Carers Support Group in Coleraine continues to grow and is now available to all patients across the Causeway GP Federation. The monthly group meetings provide regular updates on local resources, services, and support opportunities.
On 12th June, Causeway MDT Social Work co-hosted a “Chatty Carriage” event with WHSCT colleagues, the Loneliness Network, NHSCT Health and Wellbeing, Causeway Volunteers, and Translink. Held during Loneliness Week, the event connected approximately 200 participants who traveled between Coleraine and Derry/Londonderry to meet and socialise. Supported by intergenerational involvement from local Men’s Sheds and a primary school, the initiative received extensive media coverage and plans are in place for future events. Special thanks to Marian Doherty (Riverside and Killowen) and Terry White (Mountsandel) for organising and facilitating this successful project.
We are also continuing to collaborate with local organisations such as Vineyard Compassion, Acacia Path, Causeway Coast and Glens’ Borough Council, NHSCT, and Causeway MDT to host information days for asylum seekers in the area. Additionally, a trauma support group is being established to assist individuals who have been displaced from their countries of origin.
Several new support groups are being developed to benefit patients across the Federation:
💙Bereavement Support: The "HUG" group continues in Coleraine, while a new group, "Healing Hearts," is being launched for those in the Portstewart/Portrush area. An additional initiative is being considered for the Ballymoney area.
💙Dementia Support: Two dementia-focused groups are being established—one featuring a choir in collaboration with Age Concern, and another offering wristbands to assist in identifying individuals with dementia who may have wandered. These groups will be available to all Federation patients and initially set up within Killowen and Riverside practices.
💙Wellbeing and Recovery Support: New men’s and women’s wellbeing groups are launching across the region, alongside an addiction recovery group in Ballymoney, an ASD support group in Ballycastle, and additional groups focused on addressing loneliness, social isolation, and poverty.
Donna Campbell and Mary McBride - Lead General Practice Pharmacists
Congratulations to Karina Duffy and Leona Quinn on qualifying as Independent Prescribers, with a specialisation in hypertension! They are already putting their skills to use by reviewing and optimising medication for hypertensive patients in their respective practices. We wish them success in these new roles!
Additionally, congratulations to Susie Weir from Ballycastle Medical Practice, who was recently a finalist in the NI Healthcare Awards for her exceptional work in optimising medicines for patients with heart failure.
✅We are thrilled that our three new relief pharmacists have successfully completed their probationary periods. They have been an invaluable resource, covering for long-term sickness and a maternity leave. Their arrival is timely as we expect three upcoming maternity leaves that will overlap for several months.
All four Northern Federations have adopted a new, standardised induction process for GPPs. This four-week process, trialed with our relief pharmacists, includes shadowing their leads before working independently. Feedback from new GPPs has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the benefits of a gradual and supportive transition into their roles.
Based on results from the GPP workload audit and the recent Federation Employee Engagement Survey, a working group has been established to explore ways to improve repeat prescribing processes. Our goal is to reduce the time GPs and GPPs spend on reauthorising and issuing repeat prescriptions, allowing for a greater focus on managing long-term conditions. If your practice has effective processes for repeat prescribing, please reach out to Donna or Mary to share your insights.
Eleven practices across the Federation have enrolled in the Cardiopulmonary Risk Project (ATOMIC), set to launch in the coming weeks. We will be hosting a training event at the Tullyglass Hotel on Wednesday, 20th November. GPPs from all four Northern Federations are encouraged to attend, along with any practice nurses involved in COPD reviews.
Federation Education
Dr Martin O'Kane - GP Education Lead
We are entering a significant transition for Practice Based Learning (PBL) in 2025. With the recent agreement from practices to implement four PBL dates supported by Dal-Doc, there will now be only one external meeting held annually, with the remaining meetings conducted in-house by individual practices.
It has been a privilege to coordinate clinical engagement for the Causeway Federation over the past five years. I will truly miss the networking opportunities among practices and teams. However, I look forward to continuing my involvement in organising the annual external meeting.
Please note that internal meetings will be arranged by each practice to ensure ongoing collaboration and learning.
Quality Improvement Support
Dr Frew Johnston - QI Facilitator
The Northern Federations are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Frew Johnston as our Quality Improvement (QI) Facilitator. Dr. Johnston is dedicated to supporting practices in their continuous journey to improve quality of care and service delivery. If your practice is currently working on a QI project or is considering initiating one, Dr. Johnston is available to provide valuable insights and guidance.
Whether you need assistance with measuring progress, refining your project’s focus, or exploring innovative strategies to achieve your goals, Dr. Johnston offers tailored support to meet your practice’s specific needs. Reach out to him for expert advice to help ensure your projects create meaningful, lasting impact.
For support or more information, please contact Dr. Frew Johnston at frew.johnston@northernfsu.co.uk
NFSU HR
Cathy Christie - HR Officer
Carol Shaw - HR Administrator
In support of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Macmillan Cancer, NFSU raised £135. 💚🎂🧁
A podiatry webinar with Suzanne Hamilton is available to view on our website at https://www.northernfsu.co.uk/health-wellbeing.
On Thursday, 10th October 2024, we hosted the “Pause for Conversations” webinar with Catherine Murnin from The Wellbeing Project. Although the session was not recorded, we have shared the resources from the webinar in the Health & Wellbeing section of the NFSU website.
🤶❄️🎄
This Christmas, we will be supporting Women’s Aid with several activities:
Online Safe Place Course on 28th November 2024. This 90-minute training is open to all, and further information will be shared with practice managers and federation staff.
Christmas Coffee Morning on Friday, 12th December 2024, held on Christmas Jumper Day to raise funds for Women’s Aid. We encourage practices to host their own coffee mornings, and a donation link will be set up closer to the time.
Collection for a Local Refuge Shelter: We’ll be collecting items to donate to a refuge shelter in Ballymena. A list of items will be shared in early to mid-November. If anyone would like to contribute, please deliver items to NFSU before 12 noon on Wednesday, 18th December 2024.
Additionally, we’re excited to announce that NFSU will have a team participating in the 2025 Marathon Relay! It’s a wonderful opportunity to support each other, promote wellbeing, and represent our Federation in the community.
Northern GP Federation Support Unit (NFSU)
If you have any questions, feedback or suggestions for Causeway GP Federation please contact NFSU on info@northernfsu.co.uk.
Naomi Hutchinson and Rachael Elliott - Project Coordinators
Staff Update within Projects
Naomi has returned to her role of Project Coordinator after being off on maternity leave. She had a baby girl called Mya last September and all is going well with them. Rachael was covering Naomi’s work whilst she was off, and we are delighted to confirm that Rachael will also remain a Project Coordinator within NFSU. This is good news as both Naomi and Rachael can be involved in project work and undertake additional projects.
Please feel to contact either Naomi or Rachael at:
NRC Course Update 2024/2025 / Possibility of an In-House Training Programme
Following the completion of “Level 2 Diploma in Primary Care Medical Administration” during 23/24 with NRC in East Antrim Federation, it was planned to continue offering this course to students within East Antrim Federation and Causeway Federation. Due to some concerns, we have “paused” this with NRC and hope to revisit this initiative in the near future. NRC are to get back to us. In the interim, we are currently exploring the possibility of an in-house admin training program at NFSU which we would envisage to cover similar content to the admin course, ensuring the content is tailored to our practices’ requirements. We are currently researching this option and will be in correspondence with all Practice Managers with further details once we have a comprehensive proposal. This in-house training programme would be open to those interested from all 4 Federation areas (depending on those potential students interested and if they met the eligibility criteria).
Economies of Scale Cost Savings - Webinar
We are well underway with this project, and you already will be benefiting from some of the discounts. To continue the momentum with these cost savings we have organised a lunchtime webinar for Tuesday 5 November at 1pm.
During this webinar we want to provide you with a more in-depth update on our research to date and we will require additional information from each of you to ensure we best align our research / findings for the benefit of Practices’. Naomi will be discussing Ink/Toner/Drums, Shredding, General Office Supplies, Oil & Electricity. Rachael will be discussing Paper, Calibration, Fire Safety Pat testing, electric wire / emergency lights. Even though some of the Practices are Trust owned, there may be aspects which will be relevant. Therefore, we would encourage each of you to try and attend.
To date, the below are 2 of the areas Rachael has negotiated cost savings:
Ebrington/Clinical Supplies
The Ebrington clinical supplies scheme, which began on August 1, 2024, has seen 58 out of 68 practices sign up to receive additional discounts and special pricing from Ebrington, averaging approximately 12% per product. Each practice received a pack delivered to their location and an email notification. Following this, the Western Federation has also joined the scheme. We hope that as the scheme progresses, we can collaborate regionally to achieve further cost savings. If you haven’t signed up to this yet, please contact Rachael.elliott@northernfsu.co.uk - Over the past two months, 30 of the 58 participating members have collectively saved £595.23 through discounts, which is a fantastic result.
Stericycle – Clinical Waste
We have achieved significant cost savings with Stericycle by leveraging economies of scale. Several practices have joined Stericycle regionally, and more plan to join in 2025 when their current contracts expire. Once these practices are fully onboarded, we will assess the total cost savings achieved. Currently, we are on tier 3 of pricing, resulting in a 14% savings for each practice compared to joining Stericycle individually. If you interested in joining please contact Smyth, Susan ssmyth@STERICYCLE.com
AccuRx
We continue to support and hold the regional contract for AccuRx for cost savings. In the North alone there is 37 Emis Practices signed up and all finding AccuRx very useful in Practice. We have held 4 training sessions for staff this year with another survey out to create bespoke training for practices on anything they specifically want training on. Once we get the results we will arrange training for the practices. We continue to be the main point of contact for practice and direct finance queries to AccuRx. https://forms.office.com/e/YYB46wPAWM
Defibrillators
Thank you to all those who responded to the survey Naomi emailed out at the end of September with regards to defibrillators. This information has been collated, some of the findings have been shared with the potential supplier and we are awaiting further information from them. We hope we will be back in contact with all those interested within the next couple of weeks.
Practice Index Learning - For all Clinical & admin staff
We would like to remind you that your Federation has purchased a Practice Index Learning package licence for your Practice, which is valid until January 2026. Please ensure you are making the most of this resource. Each Practice Manager has a login, and the Practice Manager can enroll all staff in various courses. There are hundreds of statutory and mandatory courses available for all clinical staff, Practice Managers, Receptionists, and administrative staff. Login - Practice Index HUB The Learning package account is registered on the PMs email if you are having trouble accessing please let me know.
“Please register for a practice account by clicking here
Please note - you may get a message to say that your email address is already in use, or your practice code is already in use. Just ignore these messages and continue with your registration. You and your staff will then have access to our eLearning, Facilitated Learning and Virtual Learning courses. Once you have registered you will be able to login here and see all of the courses available to you.
If you need training on this please join Practice Index every Tuesday at 2pm – register here. Select a Date & Time - Calendly
We can see from our records there are several practices who are currently not using Practice Index. Whilst the use of Practice Index is optional for individual Practices, we may contact those who do not appear to have been utilising it to potentially remove their Practice from the contract to help with cost savings. Please note we would be contact with you individually (if applicable) to discuss this closer to when the contract is expiring.
“Skill Up” Initiative Still Opened to Applications (Free Training)
At the start of September Naomi emailed information to all practices regarding “Skill Up”. Please note that many of these courses at still opened for applications. Further information can be found at: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/skillup
NI Health Ministers Visit – Highlighting the Work of MDTs within General Practice
Mr Mike Nesbitt has kindly accepted an invitation to visit Ballymoney Family Practice next month. This is an event to highlight the work our MDTs carry out within the Causeway Federation. We want to continue emphasising the importance of MDTs by demonstrating the impact of having MDTs can have on our patient population. Keep an eye on our socials and we will share how the event goes in our next newsletter.
Contact us
As always if you have any questions for the FSU, please do not hesitate to contact the Federation Support Unit on info@northernfsu.co.uk or 02896208333
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