Newcastle and North Tyneside s1

Gateshead and South Tyneside Local Medical Committee

http://www.g-stlmc.co.uk

Newsletter February 2017

Thanks to GPs and their Staff

The LMC would like to thank all GPs and their staff, on behalf of the Prime Minister, for all their hard work and dedication, supplying services around the clock over seven days a week. The political attempt to blame GPs for the mess of the NHS has scored an own goal and everyone who understands the NHS is well aware that every part of the system is under huge pressure.

This is due to extra demand and lack of funding – simples!

Sustainability & Transformation Plan – our Response

The LMC has circulated its response to the STP plan that was published recently. The STP’s laudable aim to do more with less would be welcomed by the late Paul Daniels and the LMC looks forward to further discussions.

Also, a big thank you to all those that responded so promptly to our survey that was featured on Look North on the 17th January. See the results and our response here. The “Sanctity” of the Appraisal Bless Me, Appraiser, for I have sinned!

It is felt that we must remind GPs that issues that are brought up in their appraisals can lead to a performance related referral to the NHSE. Also, anything written in your appraisal documentation could be ordered by a court to be produced in full.

Therefore, GPs should think carefully about what they say and write during the appraisal process and that it is not in complete confidence as many think.

Vocare Insurance Based Indemnity Scheme

As you are aware, the LMC has raised a number of concerns with the insurance based indemnity scheme offered by Vocare. Following initial difficulties with engagement we have had an update on our concerns and we would encourage all GPs who work for Vocare to consider their replies. We are pleased that Vocare has responded to our concerns and we have stressed that this is about the type of indemnity cover and not the organisation. It is expected that this type of indemnity cover will be more prevalent as the costs of traditional MDO cover rises.

See here for the collated correspondence here

NHS GP Health Service

A world-first nationally funded service for GPs and GP trainees suffering mental ill-health and addiction is now available. The NHS GP Health Service provides free, confidential specialist mental health support for a range of conditions including:

. Common and more complex mental health conditions . Mental health conditions relating to physical health . Substance misuse including support for community detoxification . Rehabilitation and support to return to work after a period of mental ill- health.

GPs and GP trainees can self-refer through a regional network of experienced clinicians and therapists across 13 areas in England.

2 More information including how to access the service is available at: http://gphealth.nhs.uk/.

Our thanks to Richard Duggins who has been working on this on our behalf locally.

If you are aware of anyone who may benefit from this service please make them aware of it.

Open Meeting for General Practitioners & Practice Managers

7.00pm on Wednesday 22 February 2017 Quality Hotel, Boldon Business Park, Boldon, NE35 9PE

Sunderland LMC is hosting an open meeting for general practitioners and practice managers. The meeting will be addressed by Dr David Wrigley, recently elected Vice-Chair of BMA Council. David has been invited to speak in a personal capacity rather than from a formal BMA perspective, which will enable him to speak more freely. He hopes to generate discussion and debate rather than just deliver a lecture on his views. David is well known for his political support for the NHS and has written books on the subject.

Reserve your place via email [email protected]

MCP Contract Update

In October 2015, the Government announced the intention to create a new ‘voluntary’ contract to be used by GPs in England, working with others, that would provide ‘at scale’ general practice (i.e. over populations of at least 30,000- 50,000 patients, but possibly larger depending on the services they cover). Over the last year this has been developed by NHS England via the MCP Contract Development Group, resulting in the publication of the multispecialty community provider (MCP) emerging care model and contract framework in July 2016 followed by the full MCP contract.

Whilst supporting the principles of integrated care, the GPC remains concerned by the apparent longer-term movement away from the national GMS contract and continues to believe that the key aims of the MCP contract can be met within the existing framework and protections of the national GMS contract. The guidance summarises the main elements pertaining to the MCP contract and

3 GPC’s key concerns. See the guidance here.

LMC Conference Motions The Annual Conference of LMCs, where policy is set for the GPC, is to be held this May in Edinburgh. The LMC will be debating topics for motions to the conference and if any practice wishes to raise a topic please contact us at [email protected]

LMC Website Blog This contains a lot of important information on the following issues:

. Sessional GPs eNewsletter January 2017 . GPC News 4

See here

GPC News, GP News from the Chair and local issues This months GPC News contains some important information on: . Department of Health response to the Nice terror attack - UK . Firearms – UK . Government consultation on work, health and disability Green Paper - UK . GP Forward View (England) updates - England . CPs (Clinical Pharmacists) in GP practices . NHS GP Health Service . Growing older in the UK - UK . National Audit Office report recommendations - England . Practices with Atypical Population Guidance – England . Prime minister’s statement on general practice - UK

For national issues from the GPC with relevant links etc. please see the LMC website: here and here.

We hope that most of the LMC’s communication will be by way of our website and that practices will use the LMC RSS Feed for automatic notification of new information. Sign up to the LMC RSS Feed on our blog page (click on the LMC RSS Feed in the right-hand column and then subscribe)

Ken Megson 4 Honorary Secretary