We had a packed agenda for our October meeting, with collective action at the top. The DDRB uplift of 6% is only applied to part of the global sum, based on Government assumptions about the proportion of practice income which is spent on salaries. Even so, it is expected that 6% will be passed on by practices to their salaried GPs.
We need an 11% increase to get our contracts back to the real terms’ value of 2018/19. I expect you have all seen the GPCE safe working resources and Londonwide LMCs’ safe working pack. We have had most questions about how to achieve the 25 contacts a day. Londonwide LMCs are producing (a webinar/video) that explores the BMA safe working guidance, the requirements of the GP and hospital contracts, unpacks myths and provides thinking points to support practice discussions on their next steps to help ensure high quality, safe care for their patients. We expect the webinar to be added to the existing Londonwide LMCs’ safe working pack later this month.
We are in preliminary discussions about what our local contracts (PMS, LGPIS) might look like next year, but more urgently we are keen to engage with public health around the changes to the substance misuse contracts and NHS health Checks. In particular, the reporting requirements seem onerous, the Council invoicing system is complex, and they have not taken into account the effects of the cyber-attack on Synnovis.
The remaining time was spent on a multiplicity of interface issues. Two of us sit on the high level interface group with GSTT/KCH, which has the narrow remit of implementing these recommendations.
We see this is a start and hope in the longer term it will evolve into a reference group. Meanwhile, there are a number of issues with particular specialities, which we are seeking to address by talking with relevant staff in these departments. The first change you should see will be improved post-natal discharge communications. Please let us know about any ongoing problems and we will represent them for you.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Penelope Jarrett
Chair, Lambeth LMC