This month we say a heartfelt thank you and goodbye to two exceptional colleagues who have each given decades of dedicated service to general practice in Doncaster.
Debi Gilllott, Practice Manager at The New Surgery Mexborough & Barnburgh Surgery, will be retiring in June after an extraordinary 48 years at the practice. Debi’s commitment, steadiness and deep knowledge of the practice and its community have been invaluable. We wish her a long, healthy and happy retirement – and hope she enjoys every moment of her travels.
We also extend our sincere thanks to Angela Dean, who has retired from her role as Practice Manager at The Edlington Practice. Angela began her NHS career in 1989, moved into general practice in 1992, and has served the Edlington community since 2005, having been a practice manager since 1994. We wish Angela a very happy, healthy and fulfilling retirement.
Both Debi and Angela leave behind a legacy of professionalism, kindness and unwavering service to patients and colleagues. They will be greatly missed.
The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is one of the most sensitive and time‑critical documents produced in general practice. For families, it marks the first formal step in navigating bereavement. For the wider system, it unlocks the legal and operational processes that follow a death. Yet across South Yorkshire, delays in completing MCCDs remain one of the most common causes of distress for families and bottlenecks for the Medical Examiner (ME) service.
At a time when practices are under sustained pressure, it is easy for MCCD requests to slip behind competing clinical priorities. But the impact of delay is immediate and far‑reaching. Families cannot register the death, funeral directors cannot proceed, and registrars are left unable to complete statutory duties. What feels like a short administrative pause in practice can translate into days of uncertainty for those grieving.
The ME system is now fully embedded, and its effectiveness depends on rapid GP engagement. Once the ME office contacts a practice, the scrutiny process cannot progress until the GP provides the clinical information, confirms the proposed cause of death, and identifies any concerns raised by relatives. When this information is supplied promptly, the ME team can complete scrutiny the same day, allowing the MCCD to be issued without unnecessary delay. When it is not, the entire process stalls.
Timely completion also supports quality and safety. Accurate, prompt information enables the ME to identify cases requiring coroner referral, highlight learning, and ensure that the cause of death is correctly recorded. It also protects practices from late‑day escalations, repeated ME follow‑ups, and the risk of avoidable complaints from families who understandably expect the process to move quickly.
Practices are therefore asked to treat ME requests as same‑day clinical priorities. If the usual GP is unavailable, another clinician should review the record and provide the necessary details. Clear internal processes – including a defined route for ME communications, delegated responsibility when the certifying GP is absent, and a shared understanding among the team of the urgency – make a significant difference.
Completing the MCCD on time is not simply an administrative task. It is an essential part of delivering compassionate, safe and legally compliant care at one of the most difficult moments in a family’s life. The LMC will continue to work with the ME service to streamline communication and reduce unnecessary burden, but timely GP action remains the single most important factor in ensuring a smooth process for bereaved families.
GatewayC, in partnership with NHS England, is hosting a free webinar on the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, with a focus on recognising red‑flag symptoms with confidence.
Date: 10 June 2026
Time: 12:30–13:15
The session is free to access, as are all GatewayC resources, and is aimed at GPs and all primary care professionals.
If you’re unable to attend live, the webinar will be available on‑demand on the GatewayC website once the event has concluded.
Register now to secure your place: NHSE webinar series
For queries or further information, please contact:
Jess Keenan, Project Manager, GatewayC
Email: jessica.keenan2@nhs.net
Phone: 07483 432806
Website: GatewayC website
The Minor Eye Care Conditions Service (MECS) is available to all patients registered with a Doncaster GP.
Please note: this is not a same‑day walk‑in service. All patients are triaged first, with appointments usually offered the same day or the next day depending on availability.
The service is available to adults and children aged 5+ (children under 17 must attend with an adult).
Patients can be referred or self‑refer for assessment of a wide range of minor eye problems, including:
The service does not cover conditions already monitored by an optometrist or hospital eye service (e.g., cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma).
Other exclusions include:
Patients can access MECS through several routes:
For initial triage, signpost patients to the Evolutio telephone triage line: 0800 112 0070.
When patients contact a participating practice:
Following recent changes within the ICB, practices are reminded of the correct contact routes for primary care queries and patient complaints.
Contractual queries
Email: syicbdoncaster.primarycare@nhs.net
GP Sickness Claims (from 1 April 2026 onwards)
Email: syicb-sheffield.primarycare@nhs.net
These claims will now be processed by the Sheffield team.
Patients can raise complaints through the following channels:
Email
syicb-sheffield.icbcomplaints@nhs.net
(Covers all South Yorkshire areas: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield)
Telephone
03330 410021 (option 1)
Post
FAO Complaints Team
NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board
Sovereign House
Heavens Walk
Doncaster
DN4 5DJ
Practices are asked to review the updated information leaflet on alternatives to Monitored Dosage Systems (MDS).
The leaflet aims to raise awareness of appropriate options, particularly as the use of MDS has increased over recent years despite national guidance recommending that medicines remain in their original packaging wherever possible.
You can access the leaflet here:
https://mot.southyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk/south-yorkshire/files/South%20Yorkshire%20Patient%20Info%20%20ICB%20Monitored%20%20Dosage%20%20System%20%20Alternatives%20(MDS)%20patient%20leaflet%20.pdf
The CMDU continues to provide assessment and access to Covid‑19 therapeutics for eligible high‑risk patients across South Yorkshire. Practices are reminded to ensure that clinical coding for immunosuppression and high‑risk conditions remains accurate so that patients can be identified promptly for treatment referral.
Updated PGDs and supporting materials are available for community and primary care teams. Practices should ensure they are using the latest versions and that all staff operating under PGDs have up‑to‑date authorisation records.
IMOC continues to evaluate medicines and prescribing pathways to ensure consistent, evidence‑based, and cost‑effective use of treatments across the South Yorkshire system. The committee works collaboratively with clinicians, pharmacists, and provider organisations to support safe prescribing and reduce unwarranted variation.
For queries or submissions, contact: syicb.imoc@nhs.net
A refreshed process is now in place for teams wishing to propose new shared care protocols or update existing prescribing guidance. This includes clearer governance steps, timelines, and expectations for clinical evidence submission.
Teams developing new or updated shared care documents should use the standardised proposal form. This ensures consistent information is provided for IMOC review, including clinical rationale, monitoring requirements, and system impact.
A revised application form is available for requesting changes to the traffic‑light status of medicines. This supports transparent decision‑making and ensures alignment with regional pathways.
Doncaster LMC is been a member of the LMC Buying Groups Federation.
Buying Group membership entitles practices to discounts on products and services provided by the Buying Group’s suppliers.
Membership is free and there is no obligation on practices to use all the suppliers. However, practices can save thousands of pounds a year just by switching to Buying Group suppliers. To view the pricing and discounts on offer you need to register for access to the Buying Group’s online portal: https://buying.plexusportal.co.uk/Register.
What is the purpose of the Buying Group and how does it work?
The sole purpose of the Buying Group is to save its member practices money by negotiating discounts on goods and services which practices regularly purchase. The Buying Group team negotiate with suppliers, after which they identify ‘approved’ suppliers, who guarantee to give you significant discounts over what you would otherwise pay for their services, in return for the Buying Group’s endorsement and help in making you aware of what they offer.
Does it cost us anything to be part of the group?
No, membership is free and members are free to use as many discounts as they wish.
Is there any obligation to take up the deals offered?
No. Each practice is free to take up or decline any of the deals the Buying Group have negotiated. If you wish to take advantage of any of the offers in question, you will be given contact details, and all communications take place between you and the individual supplier*.
*The Buying Group accepts no liability for any contract willingly entered into by a practice with an approved supplier. Practices are advised to check that the terms of any contract with suppliers are consistent with those the Buying Group have negotiated and are advised to inform the Buying Group team of any discrepancy. The Buying Group do not, however, accept any responsibility for any member practices’ failure to check the terms of the relevant contract and the principle of caveat emptor (buyer beware) applies in all cases. Your rights as a consumer under the Consumer Protection Act are unaffected. With respect to any services to which the provisions of the Financial Services Act 2000 might apply practices are advised to seek independent financial advice as may be appropriate.
What happens to my details?
When a practice signs up for Buying Group membership, they will keep your basic contact details (practice address) on a secure system. On the membership application form, they also ask you how they can use your personal data (i.e. your email address) but even if you do sign up to receive their emails you can stop them at any time by clicking the unsubscribe button.
What if I am not happy with the quality of goods and services supplied?
Always let the Buying Group know if you encounter any problems getting what you want, and they will endeavour to sort it out.
Contact the Buying Group
The Buying Group is managed by Plexus Support Services Ltd:
Tel: 0115 979 6910
Email: info@plexussupport.co.uk
Website: https://www.plexussupport.co.uk
