SEPTEMBER2009EDITION
____________
ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN
At the last LMC meeting the committee was very pleased that Dr Shaun Pike of Elgar House Surgery, Redditch volunteered to become our new Vice Chairman.
LOOK AFTER OUR NHS CAMPAIGN POSTERS
A recent edition of BMA News (15/8) features a campaign poster- 'Worried about the commercialisation of the NHS?' - as a centrefold to display in GP practices, hospitals, community settings, etc. This and another poster which uses the ARM photo are now available to order. Each poster is available in two sizes: A4 (ideal for noticeboards) and A2 (420mm x 594mm).
To order your FREE copies, please email stating which poster(s) you want, size and quantity, and delivery address. You can also download pdfs. All details are also on the campaign website -
BMA CONFERENCE FOR SALARIED AND LOCUM GPs
The BMA is holding a one day conference for sessional GPs entitled ’Recognise your Talents, Realise Opportunities: Key steps for sessional GPs' on Friday 13 November 2009 at the British Medical Association, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JP.
The aim of the conference is to provide salaried and locum GPs with the tools that they need to succeed, including how to develop the skills they already possess. It will be a very positive day, and will be divided into three key areas:
- Step 1 - Marketing yourself
- Step 2 - Effective planning and career development: making the job work for you
- Step 3 - How to meet the challenges of revalidation.
The cost to attend this one day conference is as follows:
BMA member: £65.00+ VAT = £74.75
Non BMA member: £225.00+ VAT = £258.75
Please note that non-members are entitled to the BMA rate if they join the BMA when registering. For further information please call 020 7383 6955 or email .
This event will be of interest to all current salaried GPs (including Retainer Scheme GPs) and GP locums. It will also be relevant to those considering becoming a salaried or locum GP. For further information about the conference please contact BMA Conferences on 020 7383 6819 or book online at:
PANDEMIC FLU UPDATE
A joint GPC/RCGP/DH letter regarding authorisation of supply of antivirals was sent to PCTs in England on 20 August. The letter advises GPs that antiviral vouchers must be used for all children under 13, and for patients over 13 years, the right-hand blank side of a normal FP10 prescription form should be used as if for a private prescription but with a clear anti-viral annotation as instructed, unless the GP is not at the GP premises, when vouchers should be used. This letter gives clear instructions and can be found at:
You will also note on the LMC website we are constantly updating and adding new links for more information on Pandemic Flu. Please see the links below for more information.
The PCT is holding a meeting on the 24th September to review primary care capacity issues; business continuity planning; the current level of planning regarding swine flu clusters and to try and finalise arrangements for the vaccination programme. We hope this will all be clarified for practices very soon. You are all obviously enjoying the lull before the storm but no doubt work load is going to start to rise significantly as the anticipated rise in swine flu cases occurs.
MENTAL HEALTH TRUST
At the last LMC meeting the committee was informed of a number of serious concerns GPs around the county have expressed about the service currently being provided by the Mental Health Trust. We have brought these serious concerns to the attention of the Chief Executive and asked if they can attend the next LMC meeting to discuss this in detail. The issues include inappropriate discharge of patients back to general practice, routine discharge of stable patients on depot medication back to GP care, referral processes, emergency referral problems, and planned reduction of staffing levels across the county. These are clearly very serious issues and if you have any further concerns please can you let the LMC know as we will put these issues to the Mental Health Trust at our next meeting.
PCT ISSUES
At the last LMC meeting Lynda Dando gave an update on enhanced services. This seems to be coming to a conclusion and we hope to see a draft on the new Minor Surgery DES shortly. It is very hopeful that this will allow practices to expand the work that they provide and will establish a level playing field across the county. Work is taking place shortly on the PE7 and PE8 appeals but the LMC was dismayed to learn that only 6 practices have lodged formal appeals. We initially understood there were 18 practices affected by this and we would strongly encourage all practices who believe they have been disadvantaged by the discredited survey to lodge their appeal. The Secretary is happy to provide guidance on this.
For 2009-10 QOF will remain the same but the Commissioning Executive has decided to organize visits for all 67 practices. This will require a significant number of GP Assessors and the PCT has already written out on this matter. The LMC suggested that Practice Manager representatives may be appropriate for this as this used to happen.
The work on Vascular Screening is progressing and software is currently being tested at Bewdley Medical Centre. Following this a draft LES will come out for discussion. The LMC remains concerned about the level of workload this may involve and will be watching developments with great interest. We are also concerned about the funding.
Finally we discussed the PCT appointment of a Medical Director. We believe there has been a number of applicants and that short listing is currently taking place with interviews scheduled for next month. This is obviously a key role within the PCT and the LMC was very pleased that we were offered a place on the interview panel and have been very much involved in the appointment process.
PCT FINANCIAL UPDATE
Brian Hanford attended the LMC meeting and gave a brief overview of this year’s financial situation. In terms of this year the PCT set themselves a controlled target and planned to meet a £5m surplus. As of month 5 they believe this target will be met. There are some challenges to this, one particularly being a rising expenditure on continuing healthcare funding. Acute Commissioning is likely to be £1m over budget and most of the pressure apparently is around outpatients. It is likely that the current swine flu epidemic will cost the PCT in the order of £1m. They are not expecting any extra allocation of money from the Department of Health.
The PCThas planned to resolve the issue of savings made by practices under PBC. A discussion was held around this and it was hoped that it will be possible for PBC clusters to negotiate this directly with Mr Hanford.
Looking ahead the situation is far less rosy. The PCT is looking at modeling for the next three years. There are three scenarios being considered. The most likely scenario is that after next year there will be no new money. What will be important to the PCT is what the Government do with national tariff rates. It is quite likely that the PCT will need to make significant cuts and undoubtedly this will have an impact both on employment within the PCT and service provision. Paul Bates gave a detailed presentation about this at the last Board meeting and this has already been picked up by the press locally. It is also on the PCT website. The LMC will clearly be watching these developments very closely in the coming months. Once the Government stops sitting on the fence and comes clean about funding it will become much clearer.
PREGNANCY STOP SMOKING & NHS STOP SMOKING SERVICES
The LMC received some documentation from Public Health about the new programme. We were utterly dismayed by this, especially when we found the PCT were not consulted. The contract runs to an astounding 198 pages. The questionnaire is 35 pages long and most of the doctors around the table at the LMC meeting agreed for a handful of patients it was not worth the work involved. How that would impact on existing anti smoking services we are not clear. We asked the PCT to go away and discuss this as this initiative seems to have come centrally from the SHA, it is totally out of touch with the reality of primary care!
MRSA SCREENING
On a number of occasions the LMC has tried to resolve the issue about MRSA screening. The view generally by the committee is that this is better done by secondary care, both in terms of efficiency and patient safety. Letters to the Acute Trust on this issue have gone unanswered. We have flagged this up again with the PCT and they have agreed to look into this on our behalf.
GPC WEST MIDLANDS
On the 30th September the GPC West Midlands has its Annual “Nuts & Bolts” training day. We are very pleased that Dr Laurence Buckman will be attending in the morning to give us his usual detailed and very off the record briefing. He will be followed by a member of the GMC Revalidation Team to give us an update on the current revalidation plans. This is proving to be totally shambolic and much of what is currently being suggested is unworkable. The timescale continually seems to be slipping and so it will be interesting to hear what he says. We will include details in the next newsletter.
WORCESTERSHIRE LMC WEBSITE
The following guidance has been added to the LMC website during the last month:
BMA/GPC guidance:
Focus on the Dispensing Doctors' Fee Scale from 1 October to next April
Press Release on new fee scale for dispensing doctors
News 2 - September 2009
News 2 - Appendix 1 - DVLA - Sept 2009
News 2 - Appendix 2 - Quality conference
News 2 - Appendix 3 - Media report - Sept 2009
News 2 - Appendix 4 - GPC Staff Structure - Sept 2009
News 2 - Appendix 5 - LMC regional structure - Sept 2009
Letter from Laurence Buckman regarding the agreement with NHS employers on H1N1 vaccination campaign
Pandemic Flu Q&A has been updated on 13th September 2009
Pandemic - Joint NHSE / GPC agreement on practice resource maintenance
Press release on H1N1 vaccination programme
Referrals to complementary therapists regulated by statute
BMJ
Swine Flu – leaflet from the BMJ Group
DOH / GPC / RCGP
Swine Flu – Joint letter on authorisation of the supply of antivirals
DOH
Pandemic Flu : Planning & Responding to Primary Care Capacity Challenges
NHS Employers
Press Release on the dispensing doctors fee scale
Worcestershire LMC
Swine Flu – patients self sign sick certificate
Worcestershire PCT
Guidance on payments for vaccinations and immunisations
WORCESTERSHIRE LMC LTD
Email: Website:
GPC West Midlands:
Registered office: St Stephens Surgery,Adelaide Street,Redditch,
Worcs. B97 4AL
Tel: 01527 65082 Fax: 01527 61211
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN:DrBobIngles
St JohnsHouse Surgery, 28 Bromyard Road, St Johns,
Worcs. WR2 5BU
Tel: 01905 423612; Fax: 01905 420641
VICE-CHAIRMAN:Dr Shaun Pike
Elgar House Surgery, Church Road, Redditch, Worcs. B97 4AB
Tel: 01527 69261; Fax: 01527 596856
SECRETARY:Dr Simon Parkinson
St StephensSugery, (address and contact details as above)
Email:
Executive Officer:MichelleHallahan, St Stephens Surgery (address as above)
Email:
Representatives:
BROMSGROVE:DrDPrykeREDDITCH:DrSParkinson
Dr K HollierDr S Pike
WYRE FOREST:Dr V SchrieberWYCHAVON:Dr D Herold Dr K O’Connor Dr J Rankin
Dr M DavisDr R Kinsman
MALVERN:DrPBunyanWORCESTER:DrRIngles
Dr D RadleyDr D Lewis
DrJO’Driscoll
Non-Principals:Dr H RayPractice Manager Representatives:
Out of Hours:Dr E PennyDavid Jago, Representative SW PM
Dispensing:Dr K O’ConnorDon Beckett, Representative WF PM
Registrars Rep:Dr P ConeyLisa Luke, Representative R&B PM
Co-opted Rep:Dr N Burger
DrC Reynolds
Dr L Butcher
Local GPC Representative:DrGrantIngrams,
THIS NEWLETTER IS PRODUCED FROM THE LMC OFFICE AT
ST STEPHENS SURGERY
The next LMC meeting will be8th October 2009
1