Mword Issue 93 - Dr Michelle Drage's latest update for GPs and practice teams

22 November 2021

1. She's one of our own
2. Publication of earnings delayed
3. New Integrated Care Boards
4. Conference of England LMCs 2021
5. Health and Social Care Select Committee inquiry on The Future of General Practice

1. She's one of our own

I’d like to once again welcome Camden LMC's Co-Chair Farah Jameel as the new chair of GPC England following her historic election last week, and thank Richard Vautrey for his service to the profession. Being Chair is a tricky brief at the best of times, but recent years and months have been tough, with more hard work to come. It is therefore all the better that we have a woman who lives, eats and breathes the issues we face daily as GPs and practice teams in the Capital leading the profession’s dealings with government. Farah’s statement on being elected can be read here.

2. Publication of earnings delayed

Following the concerns expressed firmly to government by the BMA’s GPC England about the impending publication of GPs earning above £150,000 at a time when so much anti-GP sentiment and abuse is being stoked in public discourse, the Government has now delayed this requirement "until April at the earliest". Please see our latest e-alert.

3. New Integrated Care Boards

Familiar faces have recently been appointed into chief executive roles for the five London Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). They are:

• North West London: Rob Hurd, current North Central London ICS joint executive lead.
• North Central London: Frances O’Callaghan, current North Central London ICS joint executive lead.
• North East London: Zina Etheridge, current Haringey Council chief executive.
• South East London: Andrew Bland, current South East London ICS joint executive lead.
• South West London: Sarah Blow, current South West London ICS lead.

These ICBs will subsume the functions of NHS commissioners, including your CCGs, should the Health and Care Bill now making its way through Parliament become law (Report Stage this week where amendments are considered). Once the Bill has had its Third Reading, also expected this week, it will go to the Lords where there may or may not be further challenges. Anyone for Ping Pong?

4. Conference of England LMCs 2021

This year's conference will debate motions including:

• Inappropriate workload transfers and trusts stipulating referrals have to go through advice and guidance (as Barts are implementing).
• GPs' voice within ICS and preventing local budgets from being subsumed and redirected away from general practice.
• Online consultation targets (remember when we weren’t doing enough?) and practices' autonomy to choose the platform that best suits them.
• Contract reform, NHS 111 and Covid vaccine delivery at practice level are also among the more perennial topics of debate.
• A future GP Contract.

The full agenda can be viewed here.

5. Health and Social Care Select Committee inquiry on The Future of General Practice

Parliament's Health and Social Care Select Committee, chaired by none other than the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, will be examining the future of general practice, starting with a call for written submissions that is very much open to everyone working on the frontline. We are endeavouring to fathom where the balance of opportunity versus threat for the profession lies, but throughout the pandemic Mr Hunt’s committee has a track record of playing a straight bat with its comments and findings. We will most certainly be responding as Londonwide LMCs. But please don’t let that stop you or anyone in your practice taking some time to tell them what they need to be told. And please do share those thoughts with us!

Please do share the Mword among all your practice colleagues. As always, I welcome your feedback at mword@lmc.org.uk. The team of experts and leaders here at Londonwide LMCs are by your side.

Keep well. Stay safe.

With best wishes

Dr Michelle Drage MBBS FRCGP
CEO, Londonwide LMCs