4 TALKBACK NEWS
Covid-19 sees further increase in electronic prescription service MORE THAN 85% of primary care prescriptions in England are now processed electronically, after a rise in use of the service during the coronavirus pandemic. Data covering April 2020 shows that 86% of prescriptions dispensed within primary care in England were processed using the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).
That is an increase of more than 10 percentage points since February, when the usage was 73%. In April 2019, usage was 68%. EPS saves the NHS time and money by reducing the amount of paper processing required by GPs, pharmacists, non-medical prescribers and the NHS Business Services Authority, and also reduces the need for
face-to-face contact and unnecessary journeys. In April, use of EPS was expanded into GP Access/virtual hubs, walk-in centres and out of hours settings. This expansion and focus on increasing the use of EPS in urgent care has contributed to the increase in prescriptions processed using this system.
Google searches for back pain help rose sharply during lockdown PRIMARY care networks (PCNs) are being urged to take up funding for first contact physiotherapists to help tackle a backlog of MSK appointments as lockdown eases. Earlier this year, it was announced there would be 100% funding for first contact physiotherapy (FCP) roles as part of the revised GP contract in England, with the ambition being that the whole NHS England patient population has direct access to them by 2023/24. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) is now calling on PCNs to act quickly in order to support GPs to get through an expected backlog of MSK cases driven by the inactivity and stress caused by lockdown, services not being available and the reluctance of many people to seek GP appointments during that time. Larry Koyama, the Society’s head of FCP Implementation said: “FCPs are proven to deliver
TALKBACK l AUTUMN 2020
excellent patient care while easing pressures on GPs and reducing onward referrals for tests, scans and secondary care. “That’s why it is now more crucial than ever for PCNs to take up funding for these roles as Covid-19, months of lockdown and reduced activity levels will have had a serious deconditioning effect on millions of people. “FCPs can use their expertise to meet this demand, allowing GPs to concentrate on medical cases and the expected increase in appointments sought by people recovering from Covid-19.” With GP attendances falling significantly during the first months of lockdown, Google searches for back pain help rose sharply during April and May and physiotherapists report increasing numbers of patients presenting with “lockdownrelated” pain, says the CSP. www.csp.org.uk
BackCare runners to compete in virtual London Marathon AFTER months of intensive work and consultation with London’s authorities, organisers confirmed the plans for Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 4 October 2020. While elite races will take place on an enclosed looped course in St James’s Park, all other participants will run the 26.2 mile marathon distance from home or anywhere in the world on the course of their choice. l Read about BackCare’s runners on page 22.
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PCNs urged to use first contact physios to tackle MSK backlog
