August–September 2026
No primary-care-impacting updates this month.
Official update · NHS England
NHS England version 5 incorporates programme changes from 1 September 2026 for RSV, MMRV, shingles and pneumococcal vaccination. RSV now includes an offer to eligible 65–74-year-olds with immunosuppression or high-risk chronic respiratory disease; practices should apply the revised eligibility and call/recall requirements.
Official update · MHRA
product information has been updated to highlight fainting immediately after the nasal vaccine, particularly in people who have previously fainted following vaccination; vaccination clinics should have procedures to prevent injury and manage syncopal reactions. ⚠️
Official update · MHRA
rare but potentially serious anaphylactic reactions can occur. Clinicians who prescribe or administer these injections should provide the patient information leaflet, advise patients to call 999 or seek urgent medical attention for symptoms of anaphylaxis, and be familiar with local anaphylaxis protocols and the location of emergency adrenaline. ⚠️
Official update · NHS England
new NHS England version 2 guidance replaces the 2019 guidance and introduces a clearer process for correcting inappropriate learning-disability register inclusion; practices and PCNs should review register accuracy and have an agreed process for adding or removing people where appropriate.
Official update · NHS England
from autumn 2026, participating prescribing pharmacies will add pathways for low-frequency episodic migraine, paediatric seasonal allergic rhinitis, adult acute otitis externa, mild–moderate acne, and mild skin/soft-tissue infection and scabies; these conditions will increasingly be suitable for direct pharmacy access rather than a GP appointment.
Hansa has joined the nursing team and Bronte has joined the management team as Clinical Services Lead. Rianna has taken on a lead nurse role. We wish them well in their new roles.
Contact: Tom / Bronte
Mandated by the ICB. From 15 October 2026, one Thursday each month will be a full practice closure from 1 pm to 6 pm, with a full practice meeting followed by activities such as teaching, team meetings and SEA meetings; staff normally working Thursday afternoons are expected to attend the relevant elements. The first closure is 15 October, with no closure afternoon in August or December. On a separate Thursday each month, GP partners will have a board meeting from 1 pm to 4 pm while the practice remains open and clinics start normally. On other Thursdays, the practice remains open, GPs meet briefly at 1 pm and GP clinics start at 2:15 pm, with all other clinics starting at their normal time.
Contact: Tom Baker
Court orders will no longer be sent to the duty GP. Documentation will be allocated to the GP who has seen the patient most recently or has been most involved in the case. If that GP is on leave, it will go to the next most relevant GP. Completed documentation must be shared with the MDT before being sent to the Coroner.
Contact: Tom
Triage team: when adding patients to the 'Duty Managed' list, please use the template workflow to ensure they are given a time window for arrival. This is to spread patients through the day appropriately and avoid a glut of patients arriving late in the day.
Contact: Dr MRB
A protocol has been added so that anyone a GP deals with on the 'Duty Managed' list will have the Read code 'contact trigger: practice: booked triage appointment' appended to the consultation. This is to make it easier to identify patients dealt with via the Duty Managed list rather than a 15-minute appointment.
Contact: MRB
where a patient has the required review appointment booked but has run out of medication, please issue a prescription to bridge the gap. A recent patient was left without ramipril while awaiting a bloods/BP appointment, which resulted in a complaint.
Contact: Bronte
We’ve made changes to the Mental Health Worker service meaning this is no longer available at Leylands. The Social Prescriber and MIND remain available to use and we are looking at expanding MIND capacity in the near future.
Contact: Tom
this will no longer be going live due to concerns raised from the GP IT team. Continue referring as normal for now.
Contact: MRB
From 7 October, SystmOne tasks/eConsults must stop for Airedale services moving to EPR, except specified services remaining on SystmOne as detailed in the email sent out. This is ahead of EPR go-live on 17 October. Clinical correspondence will subsequently be received via NHSmail and Airedale records accessed via Third Party Viewer.
Contact: Bronte
the new Pharmacy First in-house scheme is underway, with 96 patients already booked into the service. Very proud of the teams who have worked seamlessly with Murtaza (next door pharmacist) to deliver this service. We have multiple examples of patients being diverted from GP appointments appropriately, but also where enhanced/GP care was needed and provided seamlessly following a conversation with the duty team.
Contact: Tom
the scheme has expanded. When dealing with patient fit notes, staff should consider the service and send the opt-in SMS available through external signposting template.
Contact: Dr MRB
Thanks to Hatim for suggesting that the BDCT podiatry self-referral be added to our External Signposting template. This is now live and sends an SMS to the patient. Patients can self-refer by phone or by completing a form.
Contact: Dr MRB
the flu season starts on 1 October, with over 800 patients booked so far. Staff are reminded to signpost and book anyone eligible into flu clinics. If you have someone in your GP appointment due a vaccine, please speak to one of the nurses or give it yourselves.
Contact: Tom
the BLS session has been completed. Anyone who has not received their certificate or needs to be booked onto a different session should email Azra.
Contact: Tom
arrangements have been updated at all sites and there is now a trolley in every reception area. Further details have been sent by email for staff to review. Please feed back any issues, but early feedback is that this is a much slicker system.
Contact: Bronte