Blood Tests

If you have a blood test at the Practice and the results come back as 'normal', you will now automatically be sent a text message confirming this.

You may also receive a message if the result is slightly out of range, but non-urgent.

"Hello, I'm Emma"

In an effort to reduce the daily 08:30 phone battle, the Practice has recruited a new AI Receptionist called Emma.

'She' will be able to answer calls, ask the PATCHs questions and record your answers if you want to make an appointment and give guidance on blood test results.

Only if 'she' cannot help you with your query or request will you be put into the normal queue.

Like any 'newbie' there may well be a period of settling in whilst 'she' learns the ropes. Please be patient (as well as a patient).

You can read more about the system directly on the QuantumLoopAI⧉ website.

Palantir and the NHS

In 2023, the Government signed a £330m contract with Palantir, a controversial US military contractor, one of whose founders, Peter Thiel, is openly anti-NHS. Despite this, its proprietary Foundry software is being used for what is known as the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP). The company paid Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm, Global Counsel, more than £30,000 a month over many months to put executives in front of British politicians to promote it, before the tender was even issued. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they won.

The FDP is intended to pull together and analyse health and other data from many different systems, but critics say that it is up to 10x slower than some of the systems it is meant to replace. It is also apparently prone to crash and is less capable than some Trusts' own in-house developed systems.

Only a relatively small number of NHS Trusts are actively using the FDP. As of July 2026, no GP medical records are being stored on it, nor is any data in the Patients Know Best system. But the NHS London NW University Hospitals (LNWH) Trust (Northwick Park, St Mark's, Central Middlesex and Ealing), who were an active participant in the original trials, is processing patient data on the FDP.

The government has already been urged by two parliamentary committees to invoke a break clause within the contract and cancel it in February 2027.

If you want to know more - and you really should - a good start is this YouTube channel: The Fine Print⧉ and this London Review of Books article: This Looks Absolutely Rubbish⧉

HealthSense ICB

The HealthSense Primary Care Network (PCN) in Harrow fell under the NHS North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB).

In April 2026, the NHS North West London ICB and the NHS North Central London ICB merged to become a new, larger, strategic organization called NHS West and North London ICB.

While the overarching board managing the budget and strategic priorities has changed, day-to-day patient healthcare will continue to be managed locally at the Practice and PCN level.

You can find out more about the new combined ICB on the West and North London ICB⧉ website.

RSV Vaccine

Adults aged 80 and over in the UK are now eligible for the free NHS Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine. The rollout - which includes all adults 75 and over and care home residents - is designed to prevent severe lung infections and hospitalisations in vulnerable groups.

To book yours, contact the Practice. They may reach out to you, but you do not need to wait for an invitation.

The RSV vaccine is a single, lifetime dose and can be given year-round, often alongside your COVID-19 or flu vaccines.

Jess's Rule

Jess's Rule is an NHS safety initiative in England that requires GP teams to "reflect, review, and rethink" a patient's diagnosis if symptoms unexpectedly persist, escalate, or remain unexplained after three appointments.

For patients, this initiative empowers you to speak up about your care. If your symptoms are not improving or are getting worse, keep track of them and be explicit about your concerns when you consult your doctor.

For more information, you can read about the initiative directly on the NHS England Guidance⧉ website.

Pharmacy First

Pharmacists can suggest treatments that do not need a prescription for a range of conditions.

Most pharmacies can also offer prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP or make an appointment. This is called Pharmacy First.

Conditions they can offer prescription medicine for are:

• Impetigo (ages 1+)

• Infected insect bites (ages 1+)

• Earache (ages 1 - 17)

• Sore throat (ages 5+)

• Sinusitis (ages 12+)

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women ages 16 - 64)

• Shingles (ages 18+)

If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about self care treatment with over the counter medicines, but you may need to see a GP for treatment.

More information: NHS Pharmacy First⧉.