How to respond to school sickness absence requests - 22 August 2017
Dr Elliott Singer, Medical Director lead for our GP State of Emergency campaign, explains how to push back against requests for school sickness absence letters in order to free up more time to see patients with greater health needs. We’ve all been there. A busy surgery on a Monday morning....LEAD events round-up July 2017 - 22 August 2017
July was a busy month for the LEAD Programme. We hosted four events reaching out to different target audiences in General Practice. An Essential Survival Kit for new GPs was attended by 58 trainee and newly qualified doctors. The feedback suggested that this is a much-needed forum and the information...Extended hours DES and cyber attack - 21 August 2017
Following the cyber-attack on NHS computer systems in May a number of practices nationally were told by commissioners that they needed to make up the opening hours lost during the second quarter of the year in order to remain within the terms of the Extended Hours DES. NHS England have...CCG proposals for GPs to restrict access to OTC prescriptions - 31 July 2017
This page has been updated to remove advice which stated schemes proposed by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) which involve GPs assessing patients’ ability to pay for over-the-counter medicines and asking them if they are willing to do so run contrary to GMC guidance. We have since been informed that this...Speaker's Corner: Breaking the cycle of despair - tackling diabetes and obesity - 19 July 2017
Dr Neel Basudev is a London GP and diabetes lead for Lambeth Clinical Commissioning Group. For National Diabetes Week he explains why understanding the person behind the condition is important in weight management to prevent diabetes. It’s Friday...Changes to the 2017/19 NHS Standard Contract - 19 July 2017
NHS England has accepted a number of changes for the new NHS Standard Contract, most notably: Results of investigations requested by hospital clinicians should be communicated by the hospital directly to patients. Hospitals should directly liaise with patients should they miss an outpatient appointment...New locum pension forms for 2017-18 - 19 July 2017
The Employers contribution for the NHS Pension scheme has increased from 14.3% to 14.38% as of 1 April 2017. The NHS Pension Agency is has issued new Locum A and B forms which will reflect this change. They can be downloaded here: Form A...CQC plans changes to inspection regime - 19 July 2017
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has launched a consultation on proposals to change the general practice inspection regime to include practices providing annual written evidence on how they intend to improve the quality of care provided. The CQC states: “'We will replace the existing...New primary-secondary care interface guidance - 19 July 2017
GPC (England) has produced new guidance on the interface between primary and secondary care in collaboration with NHS England, NHS Improvement, NHS Clinical Commissioners, Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Nursing, the wider BMA and the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges. The guidance document that describes the...Locum and salaried GP handbooks - 19 July 2017
The locum GP handbook provides advice and guidance on all aspects of locum work, including on starting out as a locum, setting up as a business and establishing a contract for services with a provider. The handbook also provides advice to practices on recruiting locums. The BMA salaried GP handbook is...Ballot on willingness to consider closing lists as industrial action - 19 July 2017
At May’s LMC conference the following motion by Tower Hamlets LMC was passed: That conference believes that the GP Forward View is failing to deliver the resources necessary to sustain general practice and demands that GPC ballot GPs as to whether they would be prepared to collectively close their lists...Flu campaign preparation and best practice - 18 July 2017
Ellie Roberts, a practice manager on secondment to Londonwide LMCs, looks at why practices need to bite the bullet and get started on their flu campaign now. The flu campaign appears on the practice meeting agenda; there’s a collective sigh around the room. The nurses exclaim ‘we can’t force them...Vacancies on BMA committees - 18 July 2017
There are vacancies on the following: Armed forces committee Civil and public services committee Private practice committee Forensic and secure environments committee Committee of medical managers If you would be interested in sitting on any of these committees or you know of anyone who would be...Premises update July 2017 - 18 July 2017
This month’s update include advice on: London policy for accessing financial support for service charges and premises running costs How to plan a premises relocation Lease negotiations Transitional funding arrangements Current charges including historical subsidies London policy for financial assistance with service charges and premises running costs NHS...GP volunteers needed for Grenfell Tower residents - 26 June 2017
Over the last few days we have seen a fantastic response to the Grenfell Tower fire from London GPs and practice teams, working in very difficult circumstances both practically and emotionally. Thank you to everyone who has helped. We have seen general practice at its best amid this crisis. London...Be safe! Take care of your cyber security - 21 June 2017
We know that the security of your practice IT systems is often out of your hands. However, we have put together some tips that may help you secure your systems following the ‘WannaCry’ attack on the NHS earlier this month. Back up and update Make...
Guidance
We provide expert guidance for practices in our guidance section, as well as an archive of other materials you may find useful.
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