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GPs win ‘significant concessions’ from NHS England over in-person appointments

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GPs win ‘significant concessions’ from NHS England over in-person appointments

GPs have secured “significant concessions” from NHS England in an apparent climbdown over patient access and face-to-face appointments.

Family doctors in England have threatened industrial action in protest against the government’s attempt to force them to see any patient who demands an appointment in person.

The British Medical Association (BMA) GPs committee voted unanimously to reject plans by the health secretary, Sajid Javid, which included “naming and shaming” surgeries that see too few patients in person, setting up what could be the first big clash between the medical profession and ministers in more than five years.

However, in private talks to resolve the crisis on Wednesday evening, NHS England told the BMA there were no longer any plans to publish monthly “league table” data showing what proportion of surgery appointments occur in person or virtually, according to sources. Separate plans to create specific targets for what proportion of appointments must be conducted in person have also been abandoned.

An NHS source claimed “naming and shaming” GPs responsible for low levels of face-to-face appointments had never been included in the plans; they only included the guidance saying “appropriate levels of face-to-face appointments for patients based on local need must be delivered”. The NHS source added that “while more localised access data will be published, the plan does not include ‘naming and shaming’”.

Amid concern about rising levels of abuse aimed at family doctors, senior NHS officials have also agreed to a “zero tolerance to abuse” campaign, which will be backed by Javid, sources said.

The BMA is still talking to its members about possible industrial action, which could lead to family doctors at the 6,600 practices in England reducing the work they undertake. However, senior officials on both sides will hope the concessions offered go some way to de-escalating the threat of industrial action this autumn.

A BMA spokesperson said: “These are significant concessions from what the government was talking about just two weeks ago, so we will need to give them serious consideration.”

The talks came as figures published on Thursday revealed a jump in the number of appointments offered by GPs in England, and a rise in face-to-face appointments.

Figures from NHS Digital show that an estimated 28.5m appointments took place in September – about 8% higher than for the same month in 2019, and more than 3m on the figure for August.

Of the appointments made in September 43.2% took place on the same day they were booked and 61% were in person. This 17.3m total for face-to-face contacts was the highest figure recorded since February 2020 and was up by about 3.5m on the figure for August, when 58% of appointments were face-to-face, the data suggests.

Before the pandemic about 80% of general practice appointments were conducted face-to-face. GPs have come under fire over allegations that they are not offering enough in-person appointments, which prompted last week’s threat of industrial action.

Prof Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “Today’s figures highlight just how extremely hard GPs and our teams are working, caring for patients in their communities and alleviating pressures elsewhere in the NHS.”

An NHS spokesperson said: “These latest figures show that general practice is working hard to ensure that patients get the care they need with over 17m face-to-face appointments in September – the highest number since the start of the pandemic – and over 3.5m more than in August.”

Health

NCDC issues public advisory on Lassa Fever, warns of increased spread

FG issues Lassa fever alert, death toll hits 102, cases now 4,632

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC has issued a public health advisory on Lassa fever warning of increased case detection and spread of the viral infection.

The Director General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, raised the concerns following increased reporting of the outbreak by its surveillance teams across the country.

At a press briefing in Abuja, Dr Idris said the death toll from Lassa Fever in Nigeria has risen to 174 out of 1,035 confirmed cases across 28 states and 129 LGAs as of October 13, 2024.

”Lassa fever outbreaks are highly virulent and the loss of human lives resulting from disease are not just statistics but represent the death of beloved family members, spouses and parents.

”In 2022, Nigeria reported 1,067 confirmed cases across 27 states and 112 LGAs. In 2023, 28 states and 114 LGAs reported confirmed cases, with 9,155 suspected cases, 1,270 confirmed cases, and 227 deaths.

”While we continue to intensify efforts using an all-of-society approach, the public is hereby advised to note that the virus spreads through direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats. Contact with objects, household items, and surfaces contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats.

”Consuming food or water contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats or person-to-person transmission through body fluids of an infected person.

Dr Idris also warned health care professionals to be alert as Lassa fever presents like other common illnesses accompanied by fever, headache, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting,

While noting that early diagnosis and treatment of the disease greatly increase the chances of patient survival, Dr Idris highlighted the economic cost of Lassa Fever to communities and the healthcare system.

”The disease is also associated with significant loss of livelihood in the communities it ravages. Heads of households are unable to work when exposed to Lassa fever and when other household members are infected, the cost of care and treatment of the disease strains existing household income pushing households toward poverty.

”Healthcare workers are also vulnerable and the loss of experienced medical personnel due to infection further strains the country’s limited healthcare workforce.”

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Health

Ayedatiwa rolls out free health services for Ondo residents

As parts of efforts towards ensuring residents of Ondo state are in good health at all times, the state government has concluded a three-day free medical outreach across the 18 local government areas of the state.

The medical outreach approved by Governor Aiyedatiwa was implemented the Ondo state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, OSPHCDA under the leadership of the Permanent secretary, Dr Francis Adegoke Akanbiemu and was effectively monitored by primary healthcare coordinators at the council areas.

During the programme which ran simultaneously across the 18 local government areas between Thursday 7th and Saturday 9th of November, 2024 across the eighteen local government areas, beneficiaries including artisans, civil servants, traders, farmers among others were screened for both communicable and non-communicable health conditions.

The beneficiaries were checked for Hepatitis B, Hernia, hypertension, Diabetes and malaria.

Those tested to be having the medical conditions received free drugs and counselling on how to successfully manage the ailments while those that required surgical intervention had been slated for the procedure in tertiary health facilities free of charge.

Some of the primary healthcare coordinators who supervised the exercise were Dr Poghikumo Iduwoni in Ese-odo, Debo Oyewole in Ose, and Dr Olawanle in Irele local government areas.

Speaking with journalists, the coordinators described the turn out of residents for the free medical outreach as impressive.

They said the programme would further lower morbidity rate among the people of Ondo state.

Some of the beneficiaries, Mrs Ebunoluwa Oke, Modupe Ayelomi and Mr Ugochi Benedict who confirmed that they were screened for some ailments and treated at no cost appreciated Governor Aiyedatiwa for giving priority attention to the health of Ondo state people especially at this time when some Nigerians with health challenges could not afford their drugs due to economic hardship.

They expressed their support to the administration of Governor Aiyedatiwa so that they could continue to enjoy free healthcare services.

In a remark, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo state healthcare development agency, OSPHCDA Dr Francis Akanbiemu explained that the free medical outreach was approved by Governor Aiyedatiwa towards ensuring that residents of the state have access to free healthcare services as part of dividends of democracy.

Dr Akanbiemu said the governor had also approved that the programme would now be carried out every three months to make it go round the nooks and crannies of the state.

The permanent secretary restated the commitment of the state government in leading a healthy state through various free healthcare services programmes already being implemented by his administration.

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Health

453 people die from Diphteria In 18 States – FG reveals

The Federal Government has recorded 11,587 suspected cases of diphtheria in the country, with 7,202 confirmed cases from 105 local government areas (LGAs) in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) revealed the figures on Monday, September 25 in an update.

“Most (6,185) of the confirmed cases were recorded in Kano. Other States with cases are Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (8), Lagos (8), FCT (5), Gombe (5), Osun (3), Sokoto (3), Niger (2), Cross River (1), Enugu (1), Imo (1), Nasarawa (1) and Zamfara (1),” the statement said.

The majority of confirmed cases – 5,299 (73.6 percent) – occurred among children aged one to 14 years, with those aged five to 14 suffering the brunt of the disease.

“So far, 453 people have died in confirmed cases, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.3%.” it added

It also stated in response to an escalating outbreak involving 80 percent unvaccinated cases, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, established a national emergency task team.

Diphtheria is a dangerous infection caused by a toxin-producing bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

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