North Central London LMCs newsletter – April 2026

Dear colleague,

If you have not received this newsletter as an email and would like to join our mailing list please contact joni.wilson-kaye@lmc.org.uk or click here.

Please find below the latest updates on developments and ongoing issues impacting general practice in NCL. In this month’s newsletter:

• NCL LMCs Strategic Leadership Network (SLN)
• NCL GP Alert Pathway
• Referral Portals
• Translation services supplied by DALS
• NCL Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS)

Our Strategic Leadership Network (SLN)

At our recent SLN meetings, LMC Chairs and Vice-Chairs have been focusing on how they can build closer links with constituents across the five boroughs. Consideration is being given to a range of different ways to engage with GPs and practice staff on the ground so that your views can be represented. Discussions have focused on the changing relationship with the ICB as they prepare to merge with North West London and to transfer a number of their previous functions to other organisations.

We will be monitoring changes closely to ensure that practices are clear on who they need to contact to address day-to-day queries and issues. Key areas of concern that have been identified by our LMC representatives include:

• Finance – payments and claims processing
• IT support
• Data governance
• Interface
• Communications

The ICB has confirmed that the ICB team’s functions and processes will not change on 1 April or “immediate period” after that, so practices should continue to use existing channels of communication. As the merged ICB’s plans develop we will bring you further information but if you are encountering any difficulties, please contact joni.wilson-kaye@lmc.org.uk and/ or sarah.ocran@lmc.org.uk.

New GP Feedback and Alert form in EMIS – a single route for GPs to raise concerns with providers

We have been working with the ICB on the GP alert pathway, further guidance on the GP alert pathway can be found below. From 9 March 2026 this replaces all Quality Alerts and GP liaison clinical emails.

To find the form: EMIS → Documents → NCL Global → GP Feedback & Alert Form

When to use the new EMIS form

Use whenever raising a concern with a provider (including inappropriate requests/workload transfer).

How to use the form

1. Complete all sections marked * otherwise it will be automatically returned.
2. Choose the escalation level based on seriousness and risk:
   • Feedback direct to service
   • GP Alert
   • Patient Safety Event
3. Email completed form to 93capp.clinicalalerts@nhs.net
4. Send as Word document or via Accumail. Do not send as PDF (which cannot be read → will bounce back)
5. Attach any additional documents to the same email (PDFs allowed)
6. You will receive automatic email confirmation and email outcome reminders
7. Feedback/alert automatically escalated if no response – no chasing

The new system has been piloted live by an NCL primary care network in Barnet. Although the data is still being analysed, early feedback shows that the system is resulting in quicker and more helpful responses from services.

It also:

• Improves patient safety – Form saved in EMIS with automatic reminders and escalation if no response
• Creates clearer accountability – The form is seen as a formal route for raising concerns.
• Simple to complete – Tick-box sections make the form quick and easy for clinicians to complete.

For more detail, please see the new “GP Feedback & Alert system” website service page.

Referral portals

We have been gathering information and fed back concerns to the NCL Referral Interface Group that GPs have been expressing regarding the number of referral portals that have been developed by secondary care, local authorities and community services.

These have often become evident when a GP tries to refer using eRS and gets a rejection and then advised to use a specific portal. If you receive a referral rejection because you have not used a specific portal, please flag this up to your local LMC representative or to joni.wilson-kaye@lmc.org.uk.

Translation services supplied by DALS

We have arranged a follow-up discussion with DALS to get feedback on what progress they have made on addressing the service issues that we raised with them back in November. We are still hearing concerns expressed by practices regarding the DALS service.

The quickest way to provide feedback to DALS is to stay on the line after a call and, after about a 15 second time delay, you will be asked to score your quality of the translator. You can also use the NCL quality alert pathway (details noted above).

NCL Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS)

We have also been working with the Local Optical Committee including discussions on MECS.

The Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS) is a NHS-funded service available to all patients registered with a NCL ICB GP practice ie. patients with a Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey & Islington GP. The ICB wide service started at the end of July 2024.

• 

  NCL primary eye care QR code for patients

  MECS is a symptom- based service for patients of any age with a recent onset eye problem, such as sore eyes, red eyes or a visual disturbance.

• MECS is provided by accredited optometrists in local accredited optometry practices/ opticians.
• Please ask the patient to telephone a MECS accredited optometry practice of their choice, for triage and an appointment. MECS is not a walk-in service.
• Patients triaged as eligible for the service will be seen within 24 hours if urgent and a few days for a routine appointment
• Children under 16 will need to be accompanied by an adult.
• Details of accredited practices can be found on the Primary Eyecare Services website.
• A downloadable MECS patient leaflet is available.
• Patients can be signposted to MECS by GPs and GP practice staff, hospital services, 111, pharmacy and other optometrists. Patients can also self-refer.

Inclusion criteria

Examples of when it is appropriate to signpost patients to MECS include:

• Ocular pain.
• Differential diagnosis of red eye.
• Foreign body and emergency contact lens removal (not by the fitting practitioner).
• Flashes/floaters – recent onset.
• Loss of vision including transient loss.
• Patient reported sudden onset field defects.
• Dry eye.
• Blepharitis.
• Epiphora.
• Trichiasis.
• Differential diagnosis of lumps and bumps in the vicinity of the eye.

The service is NOT for

• Patients identified to have severe eye conditions which need hospital attention e.g. orbital cellulitis, temporal arteritis.
• Eye problems related to herpes zoster.
• Adult squints, long standing diplopia.
• Removal of suture.
• Patients requiring a sight test.
• Repeat field tests to aid diagnosis following an eye examination.
• Suspected cancers of the eye.
• Dry age-related macular degeneration.
• Patients with very minor symptoms who may be advised to self-care or pharmacy initially.

Exclusive deals for practices

Our substantially updated Buying Group offer provides a range of opportunities to save money and improve the quality of products and services you use.

• Hillcroft Surgery Supplies – Get excellent prices and next day delivery on consumables, with a supplier who can respond quickly to your practice needs.
• Practice Index – Access a comprehensive online learning platform, plus packages to manage HR, finance, compliance and rotas.
• MIAB – Let a specialist GP insurer make sure you have the right cover, with knowledge on developing areas like cyber security, AI scribes and contract holding at PCN level.
• Restore Information Management – Our records digitisation partners can help free up premises space and recent changes with the National Document Repository have improved practices’ options.
• Hippo Labs – Intelligent, end-to-end call-and-recall automation does more than simply send reminders, it tailors messages and helps to improve QOF.
• Surgery Connect – The latest in cloud telephony integrates with clinical systems, provides stats on patient contacts and automates many tasks.
• Tickets for Good – Reward yourself and your colleagues with free and discounted tickets to concerts, theatre shows, sports and more!

Access deals

Londonwide LMCs NCL sector team

You can find the details of your LMC Chairs across NCL here. The NCL Londonwide LMCs team are:

• Jamie Wright, Director Primary Care
• Dr Vicky Weeks, Medical Director
• Joni Wilson-Kaye, Assistant Director Primary Care – joni.wilson-kaye@lmc.org.uk
• Sarah Ocran, Committee Liaison Executive – sarah.ocran@lmc.org.uk.