Enhanced Primary Care Programme Update

Map of Medicine

The installation programme for Map of Medicine has completed across the city. Nearly 1000 computers within GP surgeries now have the software installed so that once launch is complete clinicians and admin staff can use Map to access relevant clinical content and referral forms.

Training is now complete and the surgery champions should be now getting everyone logged in and trained on how to use the sidebar.

We will be officially launching Map of Medicine at the September TITO where we will be presenting on the main stage. When the system goes live there will be up to 20 pathways that have been fully localised that will contain relevant referral forms, local contact information, local formulary info and more.

If you have any questions regarding The Map of Medicine please contact Mark Beadling who is the project manager for this initiative on [email protected].


Care Home Re-Alignment

Posters and flyers to support the care home staff to discuss this proposal with the residents and their families are being distributed by our partner in this initiative – Tyne and Wear Care Alliance.

At this point, staff and residents are beginning to understand the benefits that alignment could bring and so transitions are starting to take place

If you have any further questions about this project please contact Tracey Teasdale [email protected]


SGPA Community Ambulatory ECG Service

The Ambulatory ECG service is taking referrals from across the city.

Weekly figures continue to see referral numbers double week on week as GPs start to make the most of this service. Patient feedback has been very positive with patients expressing their delight at such a prompt service, with results available to the GP within 24 hours of completing the test.

Referrals are made through the ECG Cloud link which you can put onto your desk top and you print out the referral and give to the patient. You can make the appointment for the patient or get them to do this, there will be a list of local hub sites on the referral. The patients report will then be returned to the central practice email address. There is an e-consultation process if you require further guidance from a consultant cardiologist, this is accessible via the ECG Cloud with a user name and password which your Practice Manager can create or technomed will help if you call their customer support number.

If you have any queries around this project, again, please feel free to get in touch [email protected]


Diabetes Programme  & SGPA Insulin Initiation Hub Service

Some practices have completed a diabetes audit cycle focussing on checking outcomes for patients on certain oral diabetes medicines.

As a reminder when practices complete all the necessary reviews they can claim the incentive via the invoice provided at launch.

Initial feedback from practice staff re the insulin initiation hubs suggests there is a need for further training for staff to provide the ongoing management of a type 2 diabetes patient on insulin. As a result of this we are investigating training provision and will be sending details out to practices within the next few days.


Post Discharge Service Pilot

We are currently working with our implementation group, local providers and the group of Practice Managers in the Washington locality to develop a proposal to manage appropriate follow up of patients after a discharge from City Hospital Sunderland.

Currently, GPs can filter through many many letters everyday regarding out-patient attendance and following a hospital discharge. Some of those patients discharged from hospital may be at risk of re-admission to hospital and would benefit from better signposting to appropriate follow up care out of hospital.

We are looking at piloting a service to manage this across the Washington locality towards the end of the year and into 2017. Please look out for more details in future newsletters.

If you have questions, comments or feedback please get in touch.