Dear colleague,
This newsletter provides an update on recent developments, guidance, and ongoing issues affecting primary care and healthcare interfaces in North West London.
Londonwide LMCs guidance in focus
LFPSE – Learning from Patient Safety Events
As outlined in the September LMC newsletter on the 2025/26 GP contract changes, must register and maintain an account with LFPSE. This NHS England service replaces NRLS and STEIS and is used to:
- Record patient safety events
- Access data on reported events
LFPSE helps identify trends, improve reporting culture, and drive safety improvements. By using it, you not only meet statutory and policy requirements but also help other providers learn from the concerns you raise—strengthening patient safety across the system. This will help LMC to follow up your concerns with Interface issues.
- First-time users: click Set up an account to check if you need an NHS England Applications Account.
- Existing users: select Sign in.
- You can submit an event anonymously without signing in, but logging in allows you to save, review, and update incidents.
| Read the full summary of contract changes → |
Quick wins for GPs to reduce SMS messaging
Encourage your patients:
- To provide an email address if you do not have one on file: sending via email is free and may be preferred for sending attachments or for less digital patients.
- To download the NHS App and turn ON the notification setting for the app. If a message is not read within the NHS App it will revert to being sent as an SMS text after 24 hours.
Before you send an SMS:
- Check patients’ numbers – an SMS sent to the wrong number is still charged.
- If you have practice or personal templates you use a lot, make them fragment-efficient and with shortened links – check your top templates with your SMS supplier.
| More website and communication tips → |
NHS App notification and messaging basics webinar for GP teams
Join NHS England’s NHS App teams for an overview of Notifications and Messaging in the NHS App on Thursday, 4 December, from 11:30am–12:30pm. Learn about messaging benefits and promotion strategies from the App team and practice managers. Register here.
Interface issues
Primary care and NWL Path Labs
The ICB and Path Labs have reinstated monthly meetings to discuss and resolve your concerns.
| Provider | Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS) | North West London Pathology (NWLP) | The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) |
| Borough served | Hounslow | Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster | Brent and Harrow |
| Path provider contact for queries/concerns | fhft.bspshelpline @nhs.net | imperial.nwlpcustomer service@nhs.net | tdl@tdlpathology .com |
| LMC lead contact for escalation | Rajiv Thakrar, rajiv.thakrar@ gmail.com | Mark Mikhail, mark.mikhail@nhs.net | Tatjana Djordevic, t.djordjevic@nhs.net |
| Priority KPIs / Turnaround time (TATs) | Acute Chemistry – Potassium % Turnaround time (within 1 hour) – target 95% | ||
| Acute Haematology – FBC % Turnaround time (within 1 hour) – target 95% | |||
| Diagnostic Histopathology – % within 7 days – target 90% | |||
| Diagnostic Histopathology – % within 10 days – PQAD target 98% | |||
Primary and community care Interface
LMC leads held a constructive meeting with ICB leads on communication; ownership; capacity, accessibility and prescribing issues. We are working on setting up a regular forum and will keep you updated.
Primary and secondary care
Trust Contact Details
ICB and Trusts confirmed contact details are online and in letters. Trusts proposed self-assessments as evidence; LMC leads requested practice audits for interface impact; templates and timelines are awaited.
Commissioning and enhanced services
North Central and North West London ICB merger updates
The new CEO announced her departure and staff are undergoing a further consultation over December and January, finishing 27 January 2026. This is a very challenging time for ICB staff – please remember to be kind in your interactions.
Advice & guidance (A&G) DES
A reminder that the national cap remains. Please note the ICB dashboard does not recognise Ardens codes—you are advised to check coding to avoid missed payments.
Local enhanced services
LMC leads are participating in a new task and finish group, discussing current concerns and preparing for 26/27 services, including:
- Warfarin Tariff & Service: CDs are sending in evidence for the LMC to escalate concerns.
- Clinical Audits for Enhanced Services: LMC exploring GPWSI sign off for the ECG service.
- CRM (Cardio, Renal and Metabolic) Service Development for 26/27: general clinical model supported; concerns over delivery, payment, workload, sustainability, and inequalities. LMC requested draft spec, costing model, and proposed options including shadow year.
GP Pathfinder update
The ICB is aiming to make payments to practices affected by patients being de-registered in this financial year, from January to March.
Refreshed Londonwide LMCs Buying Group
Our substantially update Buying Group offer is now live, bringing high quality products, service, opportunities and offers to London general practice at the best prices and with the best possible deals.
The offer now includes a supplier for each of these areas: consumables, insurance, training and practice support and wellbeing (including free and discounted tickets to music, theatre and sports events). In addition, we have four suppliers for digital and tech services covering: cloud telephony, records digitisation, call-and-recall automation and patient registration automation.
The Londonwide LMC NWL sector team
You can find the details of your LMC Chairs across NWL here.
Best wishes,
North West London LMC Chairs