The Care Certificate isn’t a new concept, but what does it mean to you? Do you know how it applies to you and your practice? Have your Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) and Assistant Practitioners (APs) completed the Care Certificate? Did you know they had to (well, those employed since April 2015 have to)? Then there’s the…

Sadly, for some of our patients, access to general practice is a real problem, and it shouldn’t be. But why do some patient cohorts struggle with access? Well, there are multiple factors, and one factor that causes significant issues is the patient registration process. There’s a common myth about patient registration: that is, that patients…

‘Evening all’ (said in my best Dixon of Dock Green voice). You may be thinking I’ve gone slightly mad with a blog about poster police but do bear with me, it’ll be a useful read. We all know that we need to provide accessible information for our patients, be it information about the services on…

Since the development of the First Contact Practitioner (FCP) role in 2014, when they were primarily Musculoskeletal (MSK) FCPs, the FCP role has evolved significantly. Within general practice, there are paramedics, physiotherapists, dietitians, podiatrists and occupational therapists all working in FCP roles, some of which are funded through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). So…

On the first day of Christmas, my IPC lead brought to me, an artificial Christmas tree. On the second day of Christmas, my IPC lead brought to me, two wipeable impervious decorations, and an artificial Christmas tree. On the third day of Christmas, my IPC lead brought to me, three easy-clean table covers, two wipeable…

Worried about the CQC? Worry no more! In fact, cue the Bobby McFerrin music: “Don’t worry, be happy ’Cause when you’re worried your face will frown And that will bring everybody down So don’t worry, be happy Don’t worry, be happy now!” While you’re whistling away (admit it, you started whistling the intro to that…

“There is nothing so stable as change” Bob Dylan once said, and how right he was! Change is everywhere, and for some time now the CQC has been making changes to how they monitor GP practices. Only last week I was writing the final sections of the CQC Handbook, thinking I’d cracked it and then,…