MWord 115, covering: 13 June BMA roadshow, practising safely, abuse of practice staff and LMC support

  • Mword

Join us near Euston to hear about the menu of safe options for GP contract holders to take, plus how to keep your practice team and patients safe.

29 May 2024

Dear Colleague,

A lot can change in a week, but a lot can also remain the same, so today I have these 4 items for you:

  1. Join us on 13th June – Our Future, Our Say, Our Way
  2. If not now, when?
  3. Sad events in Sidcup
  4. Our GP Professional Support Network – safe space to speak
  1. Join us on 13th June – Our Future, Our Say, Our Way
    I can’t begin to tell you how important this event is to your future as an NHS GP so I implore you, please, please, please sign up and attend this crucial event in person on 13 June. I know for certain that you and your partners, managers and nurses will have questions and even concerns about what is being asked of you over the coming weeks and months, and this is your opportunity to hear more detail and raise them in person with GPCE’s most senior leaders.

    It is absolutely imperative that at least one key representative from each and every London GP partnership attends. This isn’t just about sending a message to whomever forms the next Government, it’s also about your future as an NHS GP and as NHS practices. The steps you can take right now that allow your practice to work in a way which manages workload and keeps the service safe for both those delivering and receiving care. THIS is why it’s so important to make the time to attend this crucial event.

    The event on 13th June runs from 12:30-4:30pm and will feature keynotes from GPC Chair, Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer and her deputy, Dr Julius Parker. Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, my Deputy CEO at Londonwide LMCs will present the latest evidence, guidance and support for your practice on safe working and I will be chairing the day.

    You can register here and details of the venue are here. The event is open and free to all GPs, GP registrars, practice managers and nurses in every practice team across the London Region.

  2. If not now, when?
    GPCE calls for a new Contract, and reiterates the importance of the current ballot    The BMA online ballot opens on 17 June. There will then be a menu of actions which will not breach GP contracts.GP contractors/partners are the key decision makers: able to take small steps leading to a big impact as part of the BMA’s campaign to ‘Protect Practices and Protect Our Patients.’ They are also planning a public-facing communications campaign and will be providing profession-facing resources.The London “roadshow” event (see above), just 4 days before the ballot opens, is crucial to understanding what is being asked of you, the risk mitigations in place and how the possible actions fit into a long-term, strategic approach. You will also hear about the GPC England manifesto and BMA GP practice survival toolkit to protect your practice and protect your patients. This face-to-face event provides the perfect opportunity to hear about the menu of actions, understand the ballot, and give you an opportunity to ask GPCE’s most senior leaders any questions. You can also take campaign resources and goodies back to your practice.Some of you may be wondering if all this is still necessary with a possible change of Government around the corner. The message from Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, GPCE Chair, is that whoever is in the Department of Health and the Treasury come the 5th of July, it’s still going to take a loud and clear message from general practice to get the changes that our practices and patients so badly need, such as a new Contract.
  3. Sad events in Sidcup
    Friday brought yet another shocking example of a patient attacking a member of practice staff, with a stabbing at Barnard Medical Centre in Sidcup. This area is represented by Bexley LMC and representatives have been in contact with the practice to offer support.     This is a deeply sad and distressing for the GP involved, their family, the practice staff and its patients. Although we don’t yet have all the details about this case, for some time practices have been reporting that abuse continues to increase and many feel exposed and unsupported.The on-going appalling behaviour by some individual patients towards general practice staff is unacceptable. This is behaviour includes any form of violence, discrimination, harassment, or victimisation, swearing and using bad language, racial or sexual abuse, unnecessarily persistent or unrealistic service demands causing disruption, damaging practice premises and stealing from practices.Everyone has a right to be treated fairly and equally, with dignity and respect, and free from discrimination, harassment, violence and abuse.

    The BMA’s guidance on the removing patients via the special allocation scheme was updated in March and the MDU has this helpful post on how practices who haven’t updated their zero-tolerance policy since May 2022 should revisit it in light of changed NHS England guidance.

  4. Our GP Professional Support Network – safe space to speak
    Remember, our GP Professional Support Network provides a safe space to speak to experienced peer supporters. We also have this recent blog giving some examples of the ways in which on peer supporter has been able to help.

Please do share this MWord with your practice colleagues. As ever, I welcome your feedback at mword@lmc.org.uk. And do know that the team of experts and leaders here at Londonwide LMCs are here for you and by your side.

With best wishes

 

 

 

Dr Michelle Drage MBBS FRCGP
CEO, Londonwide LMCs

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