Newsletters

 I hope by now that every practice in Worcestershire has looked at the implications of the changes in QOF payments for the next two years. We sent details previously and suggested that you look on the GP contract website to calculate this. We have only heard from a third of practices with their figures. There are one or two big losers and quite a lot of practices who are plus or minus £3,000-£5,000. We have already raised this issue with the PCT and concern is growing nationally about the scale of the redistribution of QOF money. The LMC would like to hear from more practices and particularly to find out your thoughts on this. If you haven’t done your sums we urge you to do them as soon as possible as this could have real implications for your practice.

 

On the second issue relating to QOF the national consultation process has started to develop looking at proposals for new and independent process for QOF. Both the Chairman and the Secretary will be attending separate meetings to discuss this and it is hoping that many GPs will be able to attend. The Birmingham meeting is on the 6^th January 2009 at the Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston. When we last looked there were spaces available and if any GPs wish to go it is on the DOH website or at www.primarycarecontracting.nhs.uk/events.

The process is now over and if you haven’t already heard it has been announced in Parliament that there are no plans to change GP Dispensing!   I am sure this has come as a great relief to our dispensing colleagues and we passed on our thanks nationally to Dr Walshaw and others from the GPC for all their efforts in this matter.

 

As you will have been made aware from correspondence from both the LMC and the PCT this has caused real angst locally. Worcestershire was placed in the spotlight by the Minister as one of the worst performing areas for extended hour’s performance under the DES. Work taking place under the PCTs LES as you know would not count. Thankfully following a number of discussions and the last PEC meeting significant flexibilities have been agreed and we believe that Worcestershire will now more than meet its target. The LMC believes that this is a pragmatic and sensible decision. It is never good to be targeted in this way and clearly being highlighted by the Department of Health makes it very uncomfortable for everybody. Let us hope we have a more peaceful and less contentious 2009!

 

This has been an issue for some time that we have raised with the PCT. Many practices have complained both to the LMC, at LMC meetings and also at Practice Managers meetings at the lack of real dialogue between the PCT and practices. The PCT is very much aware of this and now the Primary Care Department is properly staffed we are hoping that this will improve. The LMC has made one or two suggestions to Paul Bates at the PCT of things that could be done to try and improve the dialogue between practices and the PCT and we are very pleased that he has agreed to some of our suggestions and work will be taking place early in the New Year to try and take this forward. It is in all our interests that this works better. Practices need to know the PCT’s agenda. This agenda is both locally driven and in many cases set by national targets. Such is the NHS that we work in that we as a county have to try and meet these national targets and it is only by the PCTs fully understanding the issues of GPs and vice versa that pragmatic policies can be achieved. We have done it in the past and we very much want to get back to the kind of working relationship that some of you may recall in the good old days of the FHSA. The LMC has taken on board some helpful suggestions that we have received from national colleagues at a recent LMC Conference and also from our survey. We hope that we can make our organisation work more effectively to help with this particular aspect.

 

Back in August training practices received an unintelligible letter from the West Midlands Deanery about the provision of indemnity for GP Registrars. We took this to the GPC West Midlands meeting at which Dr Martin Wilkinson was present. He assured us he will be writing a letter to clarify the situation and we have pressed him to get this out to practices soon to explain the current situation. At this meeting Martin made us aware of Learning and Development Agreements which are being produced by the West Midlands as we are a national pilot for this scheme. It is a very complex, detailed document but it should be fairly straightforward and we do not foresee it presenting problems for practices. However we do feel the indemnity matter needs proper clarification. 

 

Just to remind you that new regulations published by the Ministry of Justice come into force on the 1^st January 2009. Under the new regulations bereaved families will be able to inspect the medical forms of the deceased family member before a cremation takes place and also draws the medical referee's attention to any concerns about unexpected symptoms or discrepancies. Changes have been made to the forms.   Form B becomes form 4 and form C becomes form 5. All practices are advised to make themselves familiar with both the new forms and read the Ministry of Justices’ guidance.

 

 With all the changes planned the PCT has formed a PEC sub-group which the LMC Secretary is a member. This group has met already and discussed in great detail. Final guidance is not yet available for there are draft documents about changes to the appraisal process and also about the appointment of a responsible officer to the PCT. This will have real implications for GPs across the county and once definitive documents are produced we will share these with you.

 

 The Royal College of GPs is seeking the views of General Practice on proposals of revalidation of General Practitioners. A consultation document and feedback documents are available at www.rcgp.org.uk and we would encourage as many doctors as possible to study this and to give their comments. The closing date unfortunately is the 9^th January 2009. 

The LMC is seeking a volunteer to represent General Practice at this useful working group meeting. Attendance at the meeting is funded and the meetings take place on a Tuesday morning at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. Dr Richard Kinsman from Droitwich has been attending these meetings on the LMC’s behalf and is no longer able to continue to do so. He feels it is very important that we have a GP present and it has been useful to have feedback from him as well as getting the minutes to the meetings. If there is anybody that is interested in working with the Pathology Department on this useful area please would you contact the LMC office. Dr Kinsman will be happy to supply details in addition.

 

 

As you know we have been pushing practices for some months to switch from GP mail to NHS.net email addresses. We understand that the server for GP mail is likely to be switched off on the 31^st December. If practices feel their email system is at risk from this they should contact the I.T. department a.s.a.p. otherwise it will all go quiet!

 

Some of you may have seen on the media a very interesting case of Crouch vs South Birmingham PCT. Mr Crouch is a dentist in Birmingham who took the PCT to court over a clause in his contract with the PCT which allowed them to cancel the agreement by notice and without cause. Mr Crouch won his case in the administrative court and the Secretary of State appealed the decision but this appeal has now been dismissed. The Court of Appeal held that the right terminated by notice under PDS is not a stand alone right and is merely a procedural revision to be read in conjunction with the provisions in the agreement where the PCT has a specific cause. Lockhart’s were instructed by the British Dental Association, who were an interested party in their proceedings and have notified all LMC’s of this. They believe that judgment in ‘Crouch’ is very likely to be applicable to termination under a PMS Agreement. In other words PMS practices who are currently being threatened with a termination of their PMS Agreements under a termination of notice provision may be able to reject such a notice on the grounds that the PCT may be attempting to act beyond its powers in the termination of the PMS Agreement. 

 

This is very good news. Elsewhere some PCTs have threatened PMS practices as part of a so called negotiation process. It does look very clear that the court would not support PCTs taking such a heavy handed role and threatening to cancel PMS contracts without due grounds. Let us hope that none of our colleagues in the country have to put this to the test!

 

For your information below are details of the business support services offered by the BMA.

 

BMA Business Support offers members a one-stop-shop for specialist business services.

 

 

 

 

We provide and help you gain the business acumen you need to compete and survive in a changing health service.

 

Reforms in primary and secondary provision are presenting GPs and hospital consultants with new ways of delivering health services to patients. BMA Business Support can guide you through the new ways of working in the NHS and help you develop the business skills you will need:

 

·         set up and structure your own business

·         create effective business plans to manage your business effectively

·         tender for contracts and write winning bids

·         manage people effectively

 

Whether you are simply looking for further information or you have already decided to kick start the process, as a BMA member, you have exclusive access to a wide range of Business Support services.

 

Access our online guides to find out more about how to set up your own business, produce business plans, tender for contracts and write bids, and recruit and manage people

 

Access the Business Top Tips given by our healthcare business experts on some of the business issues doctors face. Use the online discussion forum to share and get advice from your peers.

 

Attend our business networking seminars to get an insight from experts into the business skills you need to survive the new ways of working in the NHS and also network with like-minded doctors.

 

If you want more detailed practical training on specific business areas, such as setting up your own business, preparing business plans and/or bidding and tendering, attend our training workshops.

 

In developing this service, the BMA is not making any political statement about the merits of any particular system of provision or endorsing any specific government policies, however, the BMA is recognising that in order to survive in this increasingly competitive environment, doctors are having to become more business savvy. If you don’t know where to start, BMA Business Support can help you.

 

Designed to meet the business needs of general medical practices, BMA Legal offer expert advice on how to ensure partnership agreements are thorough and robust.

 

Members can log in to access and download these guides online or order print copies from our advisers 0870 60 60 828.

 

 

The following guidance has been added to the LMC website during the last month:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Department for Works & Pensions: