GPC England are asking GPs and practices to refuse all new requests for shared care where these are not appropriately resourced. GPs and Practices should not accept new informal arrangements and should only enter them where terms are clear, clinically safe, and adequately resourced. GPCE also encourage practices to work with their LMCs and use this as an opportunity to review any existing arrangements, check that protocols remain up to date, clarify responsibilities, identify prescribing that takes place without formal agreements, and ensure that prescribing, monitoring and recall systems are robust and consistent.
Taking part in this action is lawful. Shared care arrangements are voluntary. GPs must only enter into them when they can provide care safely, have adequate resources, and have clear agreements in place that clearly set out responsibilities for everyone involved. Without these safeguards, practices will likely struggle to deliver shared care safely while continuing to meet the wider needs of their registered patients.
Practice Action This Month
The BMA are asking practices to raise your concerns about the current contract and the future of general practice directly with your local MP – who will shortly go into parliamentary recess for the summer and have more time in their constituency. It is the ideal moment for practices to co-ordinate a letter-writing campaign and we have tried to make this as simple as possible for you with our online tool.
You can use this tool to write to your MP and urge them to support their local practices by holding government to account. The letter calls on MPs to raise our concerns directly with government asking them to address the issues we have raised regarding safety, funding and data and demand they work with us to resolve them for our patients and the future of general practice.
Patient Action This Month
Your practice will very soon be receiving copies of for your surgery reception, waiting rooms and consultation rooms inviting patients to sign an open letter to Government to invest in more GPs and better premises to guarantee the future of patients’ ability to access general practice. In essence the letter explains the increasing demand, where we see 1.5 million of the daily 1.7 million NHS total patient care; how we have lost 20% of practices since 2015; and the growing Doctor:Patient ratio from 1900 a decade ago, to 2,200 now. It highlights how GMS is funded at 36p per day per patient – less than the price of an apple. It calls on patients to support their GP practice in fighting for high quality continuity of care in a surgery you know, with a team you trust.
Resources:
Action on shared care responsibilities for new patients in general practice
Template practice letter to MPs about the future of general practice
Patient resources and practice campaign materials
Principles for Shared Care Prescribing.
