CCAS and GP Connect
As described in Tuesday’s bulletin and in further detail within the SOP for General Practice, there is now a COVID Clinical Assessment Service (CCAS) which has been created to review patients who have called 111 with COVID-19 symptoms. Their dispositions are either urgent care, self care, or referred back to their GP practice for a local assessment. With regards to the latter disposition, patients will be booked a nominal appointment in their registered practice. You will then be able to determine how these patients are assessed - they do not necessarily need a face to face assessment - that will be for the local clinician to decide.
To enable this to happen, all EMIS and SystmOne practices need to create these nominal appointments. It has been suggested to start with 10 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. Guides and advice has already been circulated on how to do this, but if you require help please email scwcsu.glosdt@nhs.net.
As we said on Tuesday, we understand this service is going live imminently, so please can practices ensure they are preparing for this, with bookings likely next week. As soon as we have further information on this process, we will share urgently with you.
Remote working in Primary Care
This Guidance for GP practices during the COVID-19 emergency response is an appendix to the GP IT Operating Model and sets out additional guidance for CCGs and their IT delivery partners that will support practices with options for remote working. It is current guidance and will be kept under review.