Primary Care Support Services - England
The current issues related to NHS England’s contract with Capita to provide primary care support services are well known to all local practices and PMs. The GPC recently passed a motion of no confidence in Capita, following the months of concerns highlighted by practices in England about the failures in patient record transfer, delivery of supplies and payment problems since NHS England handed over responsibility to Capita, as well as the very real concerns highlighted in NHS England's plans to remove patients from practice lists.
The GPC chair had previously written to NHS England highlighting the significant concerns of the committee and the wider GP population. Capita has dramatically failed the NHS in England, disrupted general practice, and more seriously is still putting patients at risk of harm in their disastrous handling of the Primary Care Support contract. GPC representatives will be meeting with NHS England in the near future to discuss the situation.
You will have read the stories about the potential for de-registration of large numbers of patients who have not seen their GPs in the last 5 years.
This story fails to understand that general practice is not funded on an activity based contract but on a capitation basis. This means that the person who sees the GP 20 times in a year is balanced by those who never see a GP. There are also major implications of de-registering patients who see GPs less frequently in terms of health promotion and screening. For example a de-registered man of 65 will not receive an invitation for bowel screening.
There will be a update once the national discussions are concluded.
Revised BMA Guidance on Firearms
Please find below the link to the BMA's revised position and guidance on the firearms licensing process developed in light of the new policy passed at the Local Medical Committee’s Conference and ARM seeking further action and changes:
Please click here for further information.
The Home Office has also been kept informed and the BMA will continue to engage with them on seeking improvements to the current process.
Indemnity
Rising indemnity costs remain a significant concern for GPs in whatever contractual capacity they work. This is a problem for all GPs and is one of the issues that is having a major impact on the recruitment to general practice, some doctors choosing to stay in hospital medicine to avoid this expense. Out of hours GPs are experiencing a bigger increase than others.
Discussions are continuing with NHS England about how this matter can be addressed, this year an additional £33m has been added to the GMS/PMS contract to assist with the significant increases that have been experienced by GPs in recent years.
It is hoped that a more detailed solution will be published later in the summer.
There are about 32,000 whole time equivalent (WTE) GPs working in the UK, each paying on average £9 -10,000 per year for their medical indemnity insurance. So if this was covered fully it would cost the NHS a total of £320,000,000.
Some have asked about Crown Indemnity - this does not exist. Those working in hospitals are covered by Trust Indemnity - each Trust pays to insure their staff, most consultants would also have some form of MDO cover on top of this.
