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Primary care latest updates
Primary Care Latest Updates
Find out more about the Integrated Care Northamptonshire Digital Skills Academy
Integrated Care Northamptonshire (ICN) is hosting a series of information sessions for health and care colleagues to find out more about the new Digital Skills Academy.
Delivered in partnership with Multiverse and open to applications from anyone working in the NHS, health or social care in Northamptonshire, the ICN Digital Skills Academy will be launching this September.
Academy courses are provided free of charge and offer a unique opportunity for colleagues who work with data for at least five hours a week (on average) to develop and enhance their data and digital skills.
Online information sessions are being held on the following dates and are open to any colleague interested in joining the ICN Digital Skills Academy, as well as managers wanting to know more about supporting their teams to participate.
- Wednesday 26 July, 10.30am to 11.30am – Register on Eventbrite
- Tuesday 8 August, 2pm to 3pm – Register on Eventbrite
- Monday 14 August, 12pm to 1pm – Register on Eventbrite
By attending one of the information sessions, health and care colleagues can expect to find out more about:
- The ICN Digital Skills Academy, why improving digital and data skills is so important for our integrated care system, and the impact improving your digital and data skills can have on your role
- The ICN Digital Skills Academy courses open for applications:
- The wider benefits of being part of the Multiverse community
- Next steps and how to apply for the programme, starting September 2023
We’re on a journey to build a data and digital-first integrated care system in Northamptonshire, and the involvement of our colleagues is critical.
If you have any questions, please contact matthew.hutton3@nhs.net
Frequently asked questions
Who are Multiverse?
- Multiverse provides qualifications and training to existing staff within organisations that is funded via the apprenticeship levy. This means you’ll receive training and coaching in data and digital and learn how to apply those skills in your current job. You’ll finish the programme with an accredited qualification and in-demand skills.
- All training and practice will take place during working hours, so please bear this in mind when thinking about applying. Applications processes will include engagement with line managers in relation to the commitment required (three hours of training per week). We will engage with line managers to help them understand the value of training and support available via apprenticeship, with no cost to local training budgets.
Who can apply?
- If you are involved in any aspect of patient or citizen outcomes (directly or indirectly) in Northamptonshire who wants to improve your digital and data skills and are contracted for at least 30 hours per week
- You work with data for at least five hours a week on average
- Come along to an information session to find out whether this opportunity will be relevant for you
Why are we launching this?
- Empower you by giving you critical data and digital skills you can use in your role, so we can achieve our strategic objectives together
- Provide you with learning pathways to advance your career within the Integrated Care Northamptonshire health and care system
- Indirectly and directly improve patient and citizen outcomes by improving data and digital skills right across ICN
What’s in it for me?
- Gain new digital and data skills to future-proof your career and become more productive with your time. You will achieve a formal qualification whilst continuing to flourish in your role. You’ll be supported by a Multiverse coach, a mentor and gain access to exclusive networking opportunities.
Kettering General Hospital Pathology Laboratory - GP User Satisfaction Survey 2023
For the attention of all practice staff who use the Pathology Service at Kettering General Hospital:
Are you involved with requesting pathology tests or receiving pathology reports? If so – please could you spare 5 minutes or less to complete this short survey to help us improve our service to you and your patients?
Last year the team only received one respnse. It is important for the continued laboratory accreditation to seek and obtain feedback from users, to show that the team are providing a suitable service for patients.
All those who leave their contact details will be entered into a prize draw to win a homemade cake of their choice.
Simply click the link or scan the attached QR code:
Catch up on the highlights from another successful Virtual Wellbeing Festival
The Integrated Care Northamptonshire Virtual Wellbeing Festival 2023 was a fantastic success and we would like to thank each and every one of our health and care colleagues for joining us and getting involved.
From Monday 3 to Friday 7 July, thousands of health and care colleagues from across our county visited the Virtual Wellbeing Festival website, dialled in to our inspiring live sessions, joined our superb range of recorded activity sessions and engaged with #VWBF23 on social media.
If you didn’t manage to join in during Festival week, every minute of wellbeing content is available for you to watch back on-demand any time you like!
To see what’s on offer you can enjoy a whistle-stop tour of the full Festival programme in under five minutes by watching our exclusive video highlights reel.
All of this is waiting for you right now at www.wellbeingfestival.live so come on over and check it out. If you see anything you particularly like, don’t forget to share with your colleagues and networks to make sure they don’t miss out.
Every Virtual Wellbeing Festival gives us an opportunity to learn so we’d also be grateful if you could take a few minutes to share your feedback about your own VWBF23 experience. Complete our online feedback form and you’ll be automatically entered into a free prize draw to win some great Virtual Wellbeing Festival goodies!
Thank you once again for being part of the Northamptonshire Virtual Wellbeing Festival.
Read Catch up on the highlights from another successful Virtual Wellbeing Festival…My Happier Living Action Plan for children and young people
The national leaders supporting Action for Happiness living in Northamptonshire and supporting our local Northamptonshire Hub work have been developing a resource for young people, ages 12 to 18, to gain an understanding of the Ten Keys to Happier Living and the actions that can be taken to promote happier living individually, with friends and family and within the local community.
They have used a Padlet Board, that acts like a bulletin board, which can be used by young people who have been signposted to it. The Board can be accessed but not edited and they have called it: My Happier Living Action Plan. The format of the plan is ‘columns’ with the first two columns introducing the Plan and the Ten Keys to Happier Living; followed by 10 columns - one for each of the Ten Keys, a column for ‘What to do if you feel very unhappy’ and additional columns with further relevant information.
A key piece of information is that the Ten Keys to Happier Living is a ‘MENU’ not a ‘PRESCRIPTION’ and it is important that this is made clear when using the Happier Living Action Plan.
The team are working towards signposting young people to this resource from a dedicated ‘children and young peoples’ page on the Action for Happiness website. In the meantime, they would like to disseminate the resource locally in Northamptonshire.
Here is the link and QR code for the resource which you can share with any young people and organisations you think would find it useful:
https://padlet.com/actionforhappiness/my-happier-living-action-plan-sw5zsldxbeuos8as
The great news is that the Padlet Board can be accessed on a mobile phone or tablet using the PADLET App.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch by email address at schooltoolkit@actionforhappiness.org. This email address can also be used for any feedback from young people.
We hope you and the young people using it will like the resource and find it helpful.
Read My Happier Living Action Plan for children and young people…Local Drug Information System Alert
In the past couple of weeks there has been an unusually high number of overdoses (with some deaths) in people who use drugs, primarily heroin, in some parts of the country. There is evidence that the heroin used in some of these cases contains a “nitazene”, one of a group of potent synthetic opioids, most likely isotonitazene or N-pyrrolidino etonitazene (also called etonitazepyne), or perhaps fentanyl (testing is still underway in some cases).
There is good evidence from reports that naloxone, the ‘antidote’ to opioid overdoses, worked in these cases, strengthening the belief that they involve an opioid. The treatment required for an overdose that may be related to a potent synthetic opioid is the same as for other opioid overdoses, but delivering it rapidly and completely is even more critical, as progression to respiratory arrest, and recurrence of respiratory arrest, are more likely.
Those in contact with heroin users should be alert to the increased possibility of overdose arising from ‘heroin’ containing synthetic opioids, be able to recognise possible symptoms of overdose and respond appropriately.
There is no good evidence for absorption of synthetic opioids through the skin but usual precautions, including masks, should be taken when handling unknown substances.
All organisations where staff may encounter people who use drugs should ensure those staff are:
- Made aware of the risk of severe toxicity resulting from adulteration of heroin with potent synthetic opioids
- Made aware that the potency and toxicity of nitazenes is perhaps similar to, or more than, fentanyl, and much more than heroin
- Alert to the symptoms of opioid overdose in known and suspected opioid/heroin users
- Communicate these risks to people who use opioids/heroin during any contacts but avoid referring to “strong” or “potent” heroin as this may lead them to seek it out
- Ensure people who use opioids/heroin and others who might encounter an opioid overdose have naloxone available
All organisations that provide emergency care for opioid overdose should ensure staff are supported to:
- Treat suspected cases as for any opioid overdose, using naloxone and appropriate supportive care
- Recognise that appropriate monitoring and further doses of naloxone may be required since the duration of action of naloxone is shorter than that of many opioids
We continue to monitor the situation and seek further confirmation of the substance involved and their likely spread and will update you again if we believe further action is necessary.
In the meantime, please continue to report overdose incidents and test results to your regional OHID team using the appropriate LDIS form and mailbox, and nationally to drug.alerts@dhsc.gov.uk.
Read Local Drug Information System Alert…