14th December LDC Update

13 December 2020

Covid Vaccine; Flu Vaccines; Testing Priority; PPE; NHS24; £500 Bonus

  1. PRIORITY COVID-19 TESTING FOR DENTAL TEAMS
    • Any GG&C dental team members who develop covid-19 symptoms can now book a priority covid test.
    • This also applies to members of their own household.
    • Applications for a test can be made here.
  2. COVID-19 VACCINATIONS FOR DENTAL TEAMS
    • GG&C OHD have not yet shared when dental teams in GDS will be able to access a Covid-19 vaccination. News on this is expected in the coming week.
    • However, Friday’s Chief of Dentistry update states:
      • “NHS GG&C are following Scottish Government advice and prioritising those who are most at risk. Within the acute setting this means starting with the staff working on inpatient wards designated as ‘red covid wards’ and CACs in the community.”
      • “In Oral Health Directorate we are starting with our staff working in delivery of dental services to patients attending for emergency and urgent care who are on our ‘red pathway’ in the daytime and the out of hours.”
        • Anecdotally, the LDC understands that GEDs dental teams and those working at ‘RED’ sites have been offered vaccines already.
      • “We will contact other dental teams as the Board releases its further priorities for staff immunisation. We are working hard to keep dental teams front and centre as an at risk group.”
    • The LDC have made representations at GG&C ADC, GPSub and the Area Clinical Forum arguing that dental teams must be prioritised alongside other patient facing health care workers, highlighting the disappointing lag behind other Boards.
  3. COVID-19 VACCINE DELIVERY PROGRAMME
    • A PCA from the CDO indicates dentists will be paid a sessional rate to partake in the delivery of the Covid-19 vaccination programme where needed.
    • NHS CNORIS will be extended to indemnify dentists who take part.
    • In GG&C, as was seen with the flu vaccination programme, there are already an abundance of vaccinators available from other allied health professions.
    • GG&C Dentists are unlikely to be needed until much later in the vaccine rollout, if at all.
    • The CoD update states:
      • “We also await news as to how many Covid vaccinators the Board require from dental teams and when that becomes clear we will call for volunteers. The training is relatively onerous so I wouldn’t like colleagues to spend a lot of time in vain on training and not be utilised in this role.”
    • The LDC have written formally to the CoD expressing the disappointment our constituents are feeling about the under-utilisation and lack of preparedness when compared with other Boards.
  4. FLU VACCINATIONS FOR DENTAL TEAMS
    • The OHD have managed to secure enough flu vaccine to be able to offer peer to peer vaccinations for dental team members at a number of GG&C sites.
    • Details of how to book are listed on this week’s CoD update.
    • This availability was hard-fought for by both the LDC and the OHD so please do take advantage.
  5. PUBLIC HOLIDAY NHS 24 COVER
    • The 4th December Chief of Dentistry update reports that NHS 24 have confirmed cover for the Christmas and New Year public holidays
    • These holidays are:
      • Friday 25th December 2020
      • Monday 28th December 2020
      • Friday 1st January 2021
      • Monday 4th January 2021
    • NHS24 provide the telephone triage and appointing. Patients are appointed to GEDS and their festive opening hours are detailed here.
    • Practices are expected to maintain/arrange emergency cover on all other days for the whole working day.
  6. £500 SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT ‘BONUS’
    • The Cabinet Secretary responsible for health wrote to confirm that all EU health and social care workers working in Scotland will be eligible to receive up to £500 per head (pro rata).
    • The scheme information indicates that independent contractors, including dental team members and staff,  will be eligible.
    • The letter to EU HCPs indicates that this will be paid by the end of this financial year (before April 2021).
    • The means by which this will be paid and how they will ‘pro rata’ the amount is still to become clear.
    • The CFS have warned that there have been reports of fraudulent phone calls phishing for bank details under the guise of this scheme. DO NOT GIVE YOUR BANK DETAILS OUT OVER THE PHONE. Please warn all team members also.
  7. PPE DELIVERIES
    • ‘Simple PPE’ is now provided by NSS (e.g. gloves, aprons, typeIIr masks)
    • ‘Enhanced PPE’ will continue to be provided via GG&C Health Board
    • Allocations of PPE will be calculated based on preCovid activity and the information you have given the board on the number of ‘stood up’ surgeries you have.
      • NB If you are moving between surgeries but operating one dentist’s book of patients between them, then that is 1 ‘stood up’ surgery in terms of PPE.
      • If your surgery circumstances have changed, email GDS Admin
    • A direct ordering service for simple PPE is being trialled and could be made available to GG&C dentists in the new year.
  8. FFP3 MASK FIT TESTING
    • The OHD are now able to face fit for alternatives to the 1863 mask.
    • Priority will be given to those who have failed on the 1863 masks.
    • Live booking forms are sent to practice generic inboxes so if the following are full please look to your practice email for further updates.
    • The LDC have copied the most recent email into a PDF for you to view, which includes links to the booking forms for December.
  9. NHS MAIL
    • As most of you will know by now NHS mail has largely migrated to an office365 platform.
    • This means your nhs.net email address will stop working and you must now log on to your new nhs email here
    • Information about the migration can be found here, including information on how to get help
      • YOU MUST UPDATE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS WITH ALL PROFESSIONAL BODIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
  10. RENT REIMBURSEMENT AND GP234s
    • As far as we understand, PSD have confirmed the protection for commitment status remains in place. This does not stop non-committed practices becoming secondary committed as new patients are registered.
    • At present, the GP234 forms will still need to be submitted as normal. If there is any change to this requirement it will come from Scottish Government and PSD would let us know.