20 August 2020

NHS mail applications and access to free PPE for GOS contractors

GOS contractors can now access Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) free of charge from the DHSC online PPE Portal. Please note that for purposes of validation, only GOS contracted practices with an NHS mail account can register to receive free PPE through this channel.

NHS Mail Application Process:

If you don’t already have an NHS mail account, NHS England has created a temporary online application process which can be found here:

online form https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ggRtz7GGiE-MDDtN5MtALMPHR2CkIDJBvKYSsPysXllUREg1OVdXM1NORE01NzZUSzdRU1NON0VYTSQlQCN0PWcu 

To simplify the process further and ensure that accounts can be set up quickly (applications are currently being processed within 2 weeks), we have deferred the need to complete the Data Security & Protection Toolkit (DSPT) until 31 March 2021. On completion of the    online form, Practices will be setup with a shared mail box, plus 2 further NHS mail addresses for which specific Practice Staff members can be nominated. 

Practices who already have an NHS Mail Account:

Practices who already have an NHS mail account should still complete the online form to ensure that DHSC have their details and are able to contact them directly with an invitation to register for the online Portal to access free PPE.

Benefits of an NHS Mail Account:

All GOS contracted practices applying for, or registering an existing NHS mail account via the online form will have access to the following benefits:

• Submit GOS4 Authorisation requests with the NHS Business Services Authority
• Timely and secure communications from NHS England & NHS Improvement Regional Teams, NHS Business Services Authority and NHS Digital
• Future access to Office 365 applications such as Microsoft Forms and Microsoft Teams (enabling the possibility for contractors to host virtual practice visits from the NHS, reducing the need for physical practice visits to take place on the premises).
• A Quick and Secure method of submitting confidential documents such as patient referrals, patient records and GOS contractual documents across the NHS.

Locum Clinicians are currently unable to apply for an NHS mail account unless they are GOS contractors. Applying contractors can nominate their Locum Clinicians as Users or Owners of an NHS mail account. Employees (clinical or non-clinical) would have to be nominated as owners of an NHS mail account by the applying contractor. 

Registering for the Data Security & Protection Toolkit (DSPT):

The need to complete the DSPT has been deferred until 31 March 2021. However, all contractors will need to register for the DSPT on receipt of their NHS mail account. The registration process is easy to complete and can be found here:

https://www.dsptoolkit.nhs.uk/Account/Register

Please note: You will need your ODS code to register for the DSPT.

Ordering free PPE via the online Portal:

On receipt of an NHS mail account via the online form DHSC will contact practices directly to invite them to register for the online Portal to access free supplies of PPE. DHSC have been provided with the estimated usage of PPE for every contractor based on historic volumes of GOS activity, so ordering volumes will be based on those quantities. Please note that DHSC are still in the process of building their stock levels of PPE to meet the anticipated demand, so ordering volumes may be restricted for a short period of time.

Help & Support:

Relevant Helplines and email contacts are available via the online form. This can also be accessed using any internet enabled device by entering the following in the address bar: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ggRtz7GGiE-MDDtN5MtALMPHR2CkIDJBvKYSsPysXllUREg1OVdXM1NORE01NzZUSzdRU1NON0VYTSQlQCN0PWcu  

Guidance on registering for the DSPT can be found here:

https://www.digitalsocialcare.co.uk/latest-guidance/registering-for-the-data-security-and-protection-toolkit/ 

Source: NHS England and NHS Improvement