GP State of Emergency continues
Since April 2016 when GPs in London and across the country declared a GP State of Emergency, our campaign has been a great success. However, we recognise that the GP State of Emergency continues.
Patients still at risk
Patients still risk losing their GPs unless the pressures on general practice are dramatically and appropriately eased. We have produced emergency guidance, template letters, waiting room posters and videos for practice screens to help practices manage requests for unresourced work and communicate to patients about the activities that are not covered by the core contract.
Listening to what our practices need
As well as producing guidance throughout the campaign, we have listened to our practices. They told us that a significant number of appointments per week are classified as ‘did not attend’ (DNA) so we published emergency guidance on DNAs which has been downloaded 1,692 times as of today.
Practices told us that they receive frequent requests for medical letters and reports in support of housing applications. We published emergency guidance dealing with housing application requests, as well as a poster for waiting rooms, which has been downloaded 1,554 times as of today.
Overall, the dedicated campaign website, www.gpsoe.org.uk has been visited over 20,000 times since the campaign launched.
Working in the background
In addition to the work to directly support practices, we have:
- contacted Trusts about managing patient needs around fit notes
- contacted housing associations about requests for medical information to support housing applications
- written to TFL to ask them to change their advice to applicants for private hire licences about contacting GPs for urine screening for substance abuse
- contacted CCGs, the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services and the London Safeguarding Children’s Board about collaborative arrangements
- been in touch with MPs to inform them of the GP State of Emergency
- successfully engaged with patient participation groups (PPGs).
Spreading the word
We continue to use social media to spread the word about the campaign. You can use #GPStateOfEmergency to follow the work that is happening nationally. You can also keep up to date by following @LondonwideLMCs on Twitter or by visiting our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LondonwideLMCs/.
There for you
We know that the GP State of Emergency continues. We know that whether you are a partner, a salaried GP or a freelance locum; whether you are a nurse, a manager, a member of the team, or a patient, you feel that general practice is on its knees and can’t take any more. This is why the campaign must go on. We will continue to add new resources to our dedicated website and keep the campaign going on your behalf.
Please visit www.gpsoe.org.uk to download your campaign material or email gpsoe@lmc.org.uk to give us your feedback on the campaign or let us know if there is anything we have missed.
Last updated : 19 Jun 2018Key themes in the development of an active and effective patient participation group (PPG) (19 Oct 2016)
Responses to the recent Londonwide LMCs’ patient engagement survey highlighted the broad spectrum of patient’ and practice’ experience of patient participation groups (PPGs). These ranged from the positive to the...Guest blog - supporting adult mental health patients and carers to shape services (19 Oct 2016)
This month Rebecca Lambert and Nirusha Nicholas of South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust describe their work in engaging the community in shaping adult mental health services and supporting each...Humberside LMCs' guidance on support for practices (18 Oct 2016)
Humberside LMCs have produced A Practice Guide to Funding & Support for General Practice outlining the sources of support available to practices in their area. Many of the these schemes...NHS England is no longer funding commercial or trade waste services for practices (18 Oct 2016)
NHS England is no longer funding commercial or trade waste services for practices. The Premises Directions 2013, Part 5, paragraph 46 (1) (b) lists the payments NHS England has a...Self Care Week 2016: understanding self care for life (18 Oct 2016)
Self Care Week (14 - 20 November) is an excellent tool for general practice. Organised by the Self Care Forum, the national awareness week has been running since 2009 and is...Mandatory data collection deadlines October 2016 (18 Oct 2016)
Practices are required to complete their submissions for the workforce minimum data set by midday on 26 October the new biannual extended access data return by 31 October. Biannual extended...World Mental Health Day (18 Oct 2016)
We marked World Mental Health Day (Monday 10 October) by sharing resources on social media, including perspectives on managing patients’ mental health and supporting good mental health among GPs. Reflective...Reflective Practice Masterclass for GPs: from Mindfulness to Reflection, Thursday 10 November 2016 - places still available (13 Oct 2016)
...General Practice Resilience Programme - Londonwide LMCs' update (30 Sep 2016)
The 'General Practice Forward View' sets out a commitment to deliver a 'General Practice Resilience programme' over the next four years (2016-2020). The programme aims to deliver a menu of...September 2016 Newsletter (22 Sep 2016)
Guidance
We provide expert guidance for practices in our guidance section, as well as an archive of other materials you may find useful.
GP Support
Contact our GP Support team if you need help or advice.
The team provide professional and pastoral support to GPs and practice teams on a broad range of issues.