The Minutes of the Worcestershire Local Medical Committee Ltd held on Thursday, 15th April 2010 at 7.30pm at The Charles Hastings Medical Centre, Worcester.
PRESENT:
Mr D Beckett, Dr P Bunyan, Dr N Burger, Dr L Butcher, Dr P Coney, Dr M Davis, Mrs M Hallahan, Dr K Hollier, Dr D Lewis, Mrs L Luke, Dr F Martin, Dr J O’Driscoll, Dr S Parkinson, Dr E Penny, Dr S Pike (Chairing), Dr D Pryke, Dr D Radley, Dr J Rankin, Dr H Ray, Dr V Schrieber
1. APOLOGIES
D P Coney, Mrs L Dando, Dr D Herold, Dr R Ingles, Dr G Ingrams, Dr R Kinsman, Dr J Leach, Dr K O’Connor, Dr J Waits
Annual General Meeting
For the
Worcestershire Local Medical Committee
The Vice-Chairman opened the AGM of the Worcestershire Local Medical Committee and asked members if they wished to adjourn for a year and transfer the working of the LMC to Worcestershire Local Medical Committee Limited. This was unanimously agreed.
Annual General Meeting
For the
Worcestershire Local Medical Committee Ltd
1. Election of Officers of the LMC
The current Officers were happy to stand for another year. The Secretary proposed Dr Ingles as Chairman, Dr Pike seconded and all members agreed. The Secretary proposed Dr Pike as Vice-Chairman, Dr O’Driscoll seconded and all members agreed. Dr Pike proposed Dr Parkinson to continue as Secretary, Dr Bunyan seconded and all members agreed. The Secretary proposed Dr O’Driscoll to continue as Treasurer, Dr Rankin seconded and all members agreed.
2. Election of Board of the Limited Company
The question was asked if members were in favour of officers acting in addition as the Board for the Limited Company. All members were in favour.
3. Appointment of Accountants and Auditors
The Secretary asked members if they were in agreement with French Ludlam & Co to continue in the role of the LMC’s accountants and auditors. All members agreed.
The AGM was followed by the usual business meeting:
2. MEMBERSHIP
3. FORMAL APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON THE 11th MARCH 2010.
4. REGULAR ITEMS
a. Worcestershire PCT
Secretary gave Dr Leach’s and Ms Dando’s apologies and said that not much has happened since the last meeting but the next GMS/PMS Sub-committee is in one week.
i) PMS Growth Use Policy circulated to members prior to the meeting.
Members had read the document sent out earlier in the day. The Secretary felt that this document is in line with regulations. Dr Butcher asked if it has always been the same in relation to National Insurance because she did not believe this was the case in the beginning. Dr Parkinson said he will look further into this. Dr Rankin said he believes that PCTs have been directed to get heavier with practices so this may be why this has been issued. Dr O’Driscoll suggested that we put something in the newsletter so practices are aware that this is happening. Don Beckett asked if we are going to have to prove where the money has gone. Vice-Chairman and secretary said they believed they would.
Action: Secretary
ii) Treatment Room LES
The PCT are going to bring all three old PCT area LESs together so they do not have different versions of the LESs in each area. The PCT agreed that the Secretary, Dr Pike and Dr Wells could look into this and produce a new Treatment Room LES, but since then Lynda Dando has been asked by the SHA to present to them why they are continuing the LES. Dr Pike has written a response document to argue the reasons why it should be continued. The issue of LESs is difficult and the Secretary went into discussion about the PCTs difficulty in relation to the current LESs and this is why he believes we haven’t had any information about the LES situation at the beginning of this financial year.
iii) Health Screening LES
Secretary said all practices have received a letter asking them to sign up to the LES as it had been approved by the group. This is not the case as the final document is not the same as the one that was approved. Some of the wording is slightly different, e.g. follow up appointment and the section on the telephone interview. Version 8 was agreed and this is version 9. The issue on payment has also not been specified. The Secretary has asked this to go on the next GMS/PMS meeting agenda.
Secretary said in regard to the Anti-Smoking LES he has got no further with this and has sent a letter out to all practices suggesting practices might consider not signing up to it. The old LES is at a much lower rate than the new system which is far too much work. Secretary suggested sitting down to go over this with Public Health but unfortunately they will not move their stance and have just said ‘no’. Practices need to make an informed decision looking at the funding streams.
Dr Rankin asked if there was a catheterisation LES. Secretary said no but there is a PBC initiative.
In regard to the Choose and Book LES Secretary said they have suggested to the PCT that they should not use LES money on C&B as it does not treat anybody and should not be paid from healthcare funds. Some PCTs around the country have withdrawn the C&B LES so some practices are pulling out of C&B.
b. Education
Dr Schrieber asked when the next LMC election in the north takes place. Secretary confirmed next year. Dr Schrieber asked if he will have to resign as he is due to retire. Secretary asked Dr Schrieber if he would like to stay as a co-opt member. Secretary said he will discuss this further with Dr Schrieber.
Action: Secretary & Dr Schrieber
c. Dispensing
Dr Rankin confirmed the second Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment meeting will be on the 22nd May and that Dr Ingles has agreed to come for a period of time. Locum expenses have been confirmed. Dr Rankin will report back following the meeting.
Action: Dr Rankin
d. Out of Hours
i) Dr Penny said OOH are still having problems recruiting doctors for weekend shifts. Dr O’Driscoll said Easter was well covered but last weekend was the first on ordinary rates so Harmoni had problems filling the shifts. Dr O’Driscoll showed members a shift rota showing the vacancies for last weekend. They have not been told the rates of pay for May as yet so at the moment not many doctors are booking shifts. The website is also not yet up and running. Dr Penny said that Harmoni have let a number of locum GPs go as they did not get through their recruitment system, and said that her interview was quite grilling but okay and was reassured that they had done them.
Dr O’Driscoll said the first OOH Group meeting is Wednesday next week at 4.00 p.m. It was going to be 11.00 o’clock on a Monday morning but it has been moved to this new time. Dr Tony De Cothi is organising it. Dr O’Driscoll said he had met with Steve Donald from Harmoni, the Secretary and Vice-Chairman had also met him earlier that day. Mr Donald had said the situation with TCN was worse than they first thought, even though they had been told how bad the situation was both from the LMC and the PCT. Worcestershire is apparently the worst area from the TCN areas they have taken over. Secretary told members that Harmoni will not be putting in their I.T. Adastra system until the 6 month mutual assessment is reached as it is too expensive. Dr O’Driscoll said that there is no longer mobile I.T. for the OOH cars. The providers pulled the plug on the 1st April as they were worried they would not get paid and they cannot put it back. Dr Penny said there was no license for controlled drugs so they cannot prescribe controlled drugs at the moment which is a real problem.
ii) House of Commons Select Committee Report
Secretary said this report is on the website and said lots of issues were missed. He has also written to the CQC to ask where the TCN report is. Secretary read out the reply letter from the CQC where they have said a draft report will be sent out to organisations following the general election. The Secretary has written back asking why they have been leant on.
iii) CQC OOH Report
Secretary reported above
iv) Admin support for the new OOH Committee
Dr O’Driscoll asked about the issue of admin support for the OOH Committee and asked the committee what they thought about the LMC offering this support. Secretary said he felt this should be a responsibility of the PCT. This should be stipulated at the beginning and this should be part of the monitoring process of the PCT. Other members agreed with the Secretary.
v) Early morning calls to OOH
Dr Burger said she had two practice issues with Harmoni. Dr Burger said there was no visiting doctor at all in Redditch and therefore Worcester were covering both areas which left their registrar being told that they had to stay at the base alone and could not visit with their trainer. The second issue was that Harmoni received a call at 7.20 a.m. but would not visit and asked the practice to do the visit by 9.00 a.m. Secretary said that Dr Kinsman had received a fax saying Harmoni could not visit due to workload so could the practice do the visit. Dr Penny said that the cars have to be handed back by 7.00 a.m. for changeover so no visits can be done after this time. Secretary said following the meeting earlier that day he got the impression it would take months to get things back on track. Dr Rankin asked if filling OOH shifts was a national issue which was confirmed that it is. Secretary said they have been told that the rates of pay were going to be the same as Warwickshire. Dr Lewis said he is worried as these are the same issues that were raised with TCN at the start. Secretary said that the only plus on this is that the OOH service was now being monitored and we now have the OOH group that will be looking at this service. Dr Schrieber said with regard to trainee sessions the impression he has is that they are easier to book but if any trainees are having any difficulties then to let him know. Secretary said that Harmoni are planning to meet every practice. Dr O’Driscoll mentioned a ‘traffic light system’ they use in Warwickshire which would be good for Worcestershire. Members also agreed that Registrars should always be able to go with their trainers if they so wished.
vi) Meeting with Harmoni – Secretary
Secretary reported as above
e. Non-Principals Group
Dr Ray said the next meeting is on the 27th April.
f. Registrars
No report.
g. P.M. Groups
Mr Beckett was asked to mention the PMS variation agreements that have been sent out to practices. Practices are asking if they should sign them or get someone to check them. Secretary said Lockhart’s wrote them and this regular updating is a big advantage of their “standard contract”.
h. Administration Issues
End of year finance spreadsheet circulated to members prior to the meeting.
i) Finance and levy payments for 2010-11
Levy to remain the same for 2010-2011.
ii) Pay rise for EO, LMC Members etc.
Members agreed that the pay rise should reflect the DDRB rate of 1.34% for all Officers and LMC Members.
Michelle Hallahan should get the 2.25% as agreed on Agenda for Change and agreed on an increase from 5 to 6 weeks annual leave per year.
i. P.B.C. Issues
Secretary reported that the Pharmacy department want to change the high cost drugs arrangement but they have not contacted the LMC about it. He also said he believed that this was going to be put in the PBC budgets. The question was asked if the LMC should question this and Secretary confirmed that this will be on the agenda for the next GMS/PMS meeting. Dr Rankin asked if this was a PCT or PBC issue. Secretary said he was not sure but thought it was a PBC issue so has emailed his PBC lead about it but thinks the decision has already been made.
j. I.T. / GPSoC
i) Primary Care Working Group
Minutes circulated to members
ii) Path User Interaction Sub-Group
No action
iii) Summary Care Record.
Dr Davis was not at the last meeting. They have sent out all letters. Did not know about what effect it has had yet.
iv) EPS R2 – email Jon Bennett.
Secretary has been contacted by Jon Bennett to see if members would like a presentation on EPS Release 2 at one of the LMC meetings in a couple of month’s time. Connecting for Health have put in their paperwork that LMCs have been contacted and have had presentations. Secretary said he thought this would be a good idea and asked the committee if they would like a presentation. Dr Rankin said he felt the LMC should have a presentation. Secretary suggested 20 minutes perhaps in July. All agreed.
5. MATTERS ARISING
Minute 5/565 Shared Care Protocol EPA
Secretary reported that we have received no reply so have chased them up again. Dr Butcher said she had received a phone call earlier today about patients not wanting to go to Worcester for the drugs to be initiated so it isn’t working right from the off. Secretary will write to Jane Freeguard about this.
Action: Secretary to write to Jane Freeguard
Minute 5/573 Admissions to MAU
Secretary reported that we have received no reply so have chased them up again.
6. COMMITTEES
a. GPC
i) Secretary reported on the M7 circular & Negotiating News.
ii) The new GPC document “Fit for the Future” was circulated to members prior to meeting.
b. GPCWM
Secretary reported on the LMC Negotiator meeting and the GPC meeting that took place on 25th March 2010.
7. NEW ITEMS
Minute 5/583 Parking problem for Worcester City GPs
Jim Waits emailed to say that one of the partners at his practice recently went on a home visit. There was no parking space available so parked on double-yellow lines with a 'Doctor on call' notice in the windscreen. They returned to their car to find a parking fine. The Worcester City Council has refused to cancel the fine. The Managing Director wrote to say that the parking officer was acting within the current council policy but that he was willing to discuss the policy with the PCT. Secretary said that the BMA originally produced a ‘Doctor Parking Badge Scheme’ but it was scrapped. He has asked the GPC about this but they say this cannot be reconsidered. Dr O’Driscoll said that parking badges were used in Worcestershire 20 years ago and could we not ask for this to be reinstated? Lisa Luke said the District Nurses in Redditch are having the same problems and cannot get permits. Dr Pryke felt that doctors should not get them, especially for routine visits, and Dr Radley agreed. More discussion took place but it was agreed that we would not follow this up.
Minute 5/584 British Orthopaedic Association Form
Dr O’Driscoll reported that a patient of his had been asked to sign a form endorsed by the British Orthopaedic Association confirming that they had a prosthetic joint for airport security purposes. They also state that the GP will not charge for this service and this has been agreed with the BMA, G.P. and Professional Fees Committee. Dr O’Driscoll checked this with the Professional Fees Committee of the BMA and was been told that this is not the case. Dr Rankin felt this was irrelevant and members agreed with this. Dr Butcher said they should not say that this is supported by other professional organisations. It was agreed that the Secretary will write to the BMA about this and put something in the Newsletter.
Action: Secretary to write to BMA and Newsletter
Dr Lewis asked members if they had heard anything about 48 beds on Aconbury being replaced. No one else had heard anything about this. Dr Lewis said he will follow this up.
Action: Dr Lewis
Items B
Circulated
Items C
No items C
CLOSED MEETING (if appropriate)
Vice-Chairman closed the meeting at 09.26 p.m.
= Agenda Only
= No Agenda
View All Meetings