News & Events
- 31-05-13 : Tipping the Balance of Power: Professionals' Experiences of Training Peer Based Researchers
- 31-05-13 : April-May 2013 SMMGP Clinical Update Now Online
- 24-04-13 : March-April 2013 SMMGP Policy Update Now Online
- 08-04-13 : Invitation to join NICE Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) Advisory Committee
- 19-03-13 : SMMGP Survey Prize Draw Winner
- 14-03-13 : February-March 2013 SMMGP Clinical Update Now Online
- 13-03-13 : Network #35 Now Online
- 08-03-13 : WHO Report Looking at Barriers to HCV Treatment Access and Uptake for People Who Inject Drugs
- 07-03-13 : Public Health Services Contract - Narrative, Definitions and Interpretation
- 19-02-13 : Primary Care Drug and Alcohol Treatment: Commissioning and Provision Against a Backdrop of Localism
- 06-02-13 : New Alcohol Use Disorders Evidence Update from NICE
- 05-02-13 : January-February 2013 SMMGP Policy Update Now Online
- 31-01-13 : Survey re Training Needs Analysis to Support Competency Development for GPwSIs in Alcohol
- 31-01-13 : Primary Care Predicts Future of Substance Misuse Recovery
- 21-01-13 : December-January SMMGP Clinical Update Now Online
Tipping the Balance of Power: Professionals' Experiences of Training Peer Based Researchers
(Posted 31 May 2013)
As guest bloggers two GPs, Morris Gallagher and David Julien, share their feelings about helping recovering users to develop the skills to research their area of expertise - drug misuse.
You can read their post on the SMMGP Blog, and a full related article can be downloaded below in Adobe Acrobat PDF format as well as from the Other Resources section.
- Tipping the Balance of Power: Professionals' Experiences of Training Peer Based Researchers (58K)
- Dr Morris Gallagher, Dr David Julien, Mark Joyce (May 2013)
April-May 2013 SMMGP Clinical Update Now Online
(Posted 31 May 2013)
The April-May 2013 SMMGP Clinical Update is now available in the SMMGP Clinical & Policy Updates section in both online and downloadable versions.
If you would like to receive these Updates via e-mail as soon as they are released, please join the SMMGP. Membership is completely free, you can join instantly online, and there are lots of benefits - see the Free SMMGP Membership Application page for more details.
March-April 2013 SMMGP Policy Update Now Online
(Posted 24 April 2013)
The March-April 2013 SMMGP Policy Update is now available in the SMMGP Clinical & Policy Updates section in both online and downloadable versions.
If you would like to receive these Updates via e-mail as soon as they are released, please join the SMMGP. Membership is completely free, you can join instantly online, and there are lots of benefits - see the Free SMMGP Membership Application page for more details.
Invitation to join NICE Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) Advisory Committee
(Posted 08 April 2013)
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued an invitation to join NICE Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) Advisory Committee.
The QOF rewards practices for the provision of quality care and helps standardise improvements in the delivery of clinical care. Practice participation in QOF is voluntary but most practices on General Medical Services (GMS) contracts, as well as many on Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracts, take part in QOF. It was introduced as part of the new GMS contract in 2004.
NICE works with the Advisory Committee to develop evidence based clinical and public health indicators for the QOF.
Committee members are drawn from the NHS, health, public health and social care professionals, patients/service users and academia. They do not represent their organisations but are selected for their expertise, experience of working with multidisciplinary and lay colleagues and understanding of evidence based care.
All QOF Committee members have equal status, which reflects the relevance and importance of their different expertise and experience. All group members need to attend regular meetings and undertake background reading.
Recruitment for specialist membership of the QOF Advisory Committee has started and they are seeking applications for the following roles:
- GPs - salaried and trainee (registrar)
- Commissioners of health (such as those from clinical commissioning groups or commissioning support units)*
- Social care professionals (such as those from local authorities, voluntary sector, private sector)
- Public health professionals (from local government or Public Health England)
- Practice managers
- Nurse practitioner/Community practitioner
- Practice nurses
- Medicines Management
- Geriatricians (secondary care)
*Due to potential conflicts of interests this does not include employees of the NHS Commissioning Board (including area teams).
Further information including how to apply is available on the NICE website.
Please note that the deadline for applications is Wednesday 24 April at 5pm.
SMMGP Survey Prize Draw Winner
(Posted 19 March 2013)
We are pleased to announce the winner of the prize draw for all those who took part in our recent survey regarding "Training Needs Analysis to Support Competency Development for GPwSIs in Alcohol".
The winner of £75 in Marks & Spencer's vouchers is Dr Emily Jackson.
Thanks again to all those who took part.
February-March 2013 SMMGP Clinical Update Now Online
(Posted 14 March 2013)
The February-March 2013 SMMGP Clinical Update is now available in the SMMGP Clinical & Policy Updates section in both online and downloadable versions.
If you would like to receive these Updates via e-mail as soon as they are released, please join the SMMGP. Membership is completely free, you can join instantly online, and there are lots of benefits - see the Free SMMGP Membership Application page for more details.
(Posted 13 March 2013)
Issue 35 of "Network", the SMMGP Newsletter, is now available to read online, download in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, or browse as a "digital publication" from the Newsletters section in the Resource Library.
If you would like to receive copies of Network via post and/or e-mail as soon as they are released, please join the SMMGP. Membership is completely free, you can join instantly online, and there are lots of benefits - see the Free SMMGP Membership Application page for more details.
WHO Report Looking at Barriers to HCV Treatment Access and Uptake for People Who Inject Drugs
(Posted 08 March 2013)
A World Health Organization (WHO) report entitled "Barriers and Facilitators to Hepatitis C Treatment for People Who Inject Drugs. A Qualitative Study" has recently been published on the WHO web site.
"Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant global public health problem. The burden of HCV infection is concentrated among people who inject drugs (PWID), with an estimated five million PWID living with chronic HCV in the European Region. HCV antiviral treatment with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin is the standard care for chronic HCV, with a 50-85% cure rate depending on genotype. Research indicates that PWID are interested in HCV treatment uptake and have rates of viral clearance comparable with other populations. Current injectors are not precluded from HCV treatment access in a number of European countries, yet uptake rates are substandard.
"This qualitative study aims to assess the barriers and facilitators to HCV treatment access and completion for PWID in drug and alcohol (D&A) settings. We examine the barriers and facilitators to HCV treatment by: describing pathways to hepatitis C treatment, including referral, as well as factors mediating treatment access in the D&A setting. Through qualitative interviews with HCV treatment providers and PWID we explore the experience of HCV treatment access and delivery from patient, provider and 'system' perspectives in order to develop guidance regarding HCV treatment system improvement, including referral and coordination, and the provision of psycho-social interventions targeting patients and providers."
The report can be downloaded below in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, as well as from the Other Resources section, and the WHO web site.
- Barriers and Facilitators to Hepatitis C Treatment for People Who Inject Drugs. A Qualitative Study (1.0MB)
- World Health Organization (June 2012)
Public Health Services Contract - Narrative, Definitions and Interpretation
(Posted 07 March 2013)
A Department of Health narrative developed on Public Health England (PHE) contracting in relation to Local Enhanced Services (LES) can now be downloaded below in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, as well as from the Other Resources section. A separate document on "Definitions and Interpretation" is also available.
- Public Health Services Contract - Narrative (PDF, 48K)
- Department of Health (Mar 2013) - Public Health Services Contract - Definitions and Interpretation (PDF, 61K)
- Department of Health (Mar 2013)
The Public Health Services Contract is available on the Department of Health web site.
Primary Care Drug and Alcohol Treatment: Commissioning and Provision Against a Backdrop of Localism
(Posted 19 February 2013)
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Substance Misuse Management in General Practice (SMMGP) have issued a joint paper considering the future impact of the changing commissioning environment on primary care drug and alcohol treatment, entitled "Primary Care Drug and Alcohol Treatment: Commissioning and Provision Against a Backdrop of Localism".
The paper explores how primary care can proactively contribute to the rapidly developing recovery systems of care, by building on its strong legacy of safe, holistic and clinically effective care closer to home. It also includes checklists on how to evidence that services are working towards these themes.
The paper was presented at the RCGP/NTA Joint Conference on "Recovery in Primary Care: Shaping, Leading, Influencing", held on 31 January 2013.
The paper can be downloaded below in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, as well as from the Conference Reports & Presentations section, or from the NTA web site.
- Primary Care Drug and Alcohol Treatment:
Commissioning and Provision Against a Backdrop of Localism (PDF, 220K)
- Dr Linda Harris, Kate Halliday (Jan 2013)
Other presentations and workshop materials from the event are available on the NTA web site.
New Alcohol Use Disorders Evidence Update from NICE
(Posted 06 February 2013)
NHS Evidence are pleased to announce that "Alcohol use disorders: harmful drinking and alcohol dependence Evidence Update - January 2013" has been published.
NICE Evidence Updates help to reduce the need for individuals, managers and commissioners to search for new evidence, and keep health and social care professionals up-to-date with new research. While Evidence Updates do not replace current accredited guidance and do not provide formal recommendations, they do highlight new evidence that health and social care professionals may wish to consider alongside current guidance.
The new Evidence Update focuses on a summary of selected new evidence relevant to NICE clinical guideline 115 "Alcohol use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking and alcohol dependence" (2011).
An Evidence Update Advisory Group, comprised of topic experts, reviewed the prioritised evidence and provided a commentary.
The Evidence Update can be downloaded below in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, as well as from the Guidance Documents section, or from the NHS Evidence web site.
- Alcohol Use Disorders: Harmful Drinking and Alcohol Dependence -
Evidence Update 28 (PDF, 395K)
- NHS Evidence & NICE (Jan 2013)
January-February 2013 SMMGP Policy Update Now Online
(Posted 05 February 2013)
The January-February 2013 SMMGP Policy Update is now available in the SMMGP Clinical & Policy Updates section in both online and downloadable versions.
If you would like to receive these Updates via e-mail as soon as they are released, please join the SMMGP. Membership is completely free, you can join instantly online, and there are lots of benefits - see the Free SMMGP Membership Application page for more details.
Survey re Training Needs Analysis to Support Competency Development for GPwSIs in Alcohol
(Posted 31 January 2013)
SMMGP are carrying out a training needs analysis for the development of competencies for General Practitioners with a Special Interest in Alcohol, a role that is becoming increasingly important with the rise in alcohol related health problems.
We are inviting generalists and specialist GPs to take part in a survey which should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
To encourage you to take part we are offering entry into a prize draw for £75 of Marks & Spencer's vouchers.
The deadline for completing the survey is Friday 22nd February 2013.
The link below will take you straight to the survey:
- !!THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED!!
Many thanks for your help.
Primary Care Predicts Future of Substance Misuse Recovery
(Posted 31 January 2013)
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Substance Misuse Management in General Practice (SMMGP) have issued a joint paper considering the future impact of the changing commissioning environment on primary care drug and alcohol treatment. The paper is entitled "Primary care drug and alcohol treatment: Commissioning and provision against a backdrop of localism".
The paper explores how primary care can proactively contribute to the rapidly developing recovery systems of care, by building on its strong legacy of safe, holistic and clinically effective care closer to home. It also includes checklists on how to evidence that services are working towards these themes. The paper is being presented at a joint RCGP/National Treatment Agency conference in York this week (31-Jan-2013) to an audience of over 200 clinicians, commissioners and service providers.
Co-author and RCGP Substance Misuse and Associated Health, Medical Director Dr Linda Harris said "This paper covers key themes of recovery-oriented treatment and illustrates the unique role that primary care plays in improving outcomes for individuals, families and the wider community. The paper emphasises the importance of locally designed and responsive services and the opportunities for primary healthcare teams, working with Clinical Commissioning Groups and their Local Health and Wellbeing Boards t to improve outcomes for patients. The paper offers practical examples of how a practice or a shared care team can benchmark the quality of their systems, and thereby provide evidence to commissioners that they are working in a recovery focused way. It is essential reading for all those commissioning and providing recovery services within substance misuse."
The full paper, as well as the executive summary, can be downloaded below in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, as well as from the Guidance Documents section.
- Primary care drug and alcohol treatment:
Commissioning and provision against a backdrop of localism (PDF, 202K)
- RCGP & SMMGP (Jan 2013) - Executive Summary (PDF, 162K)
December-January SMMGP Clinical Update Now Online
(Posted 21 January 2013)
The December 2012 - January 2013 SMMGP Clinical Update is now available in the SMMGP Clinical & Policy Updates section in both online and downloadable versions.
If you would like to receive these Updates via e-mail as soon as they are released, please join the SMMGP. Membership is completely free, you can join instantly online, and there are lots of benefits - see the Free SMMGP Membership Application page for more details.
