NWL LMC Update September 2024
BMA safe working guide and collective action survey
The new guide assists practices with pushing back on non-contractual work. GPC England are also surveying practices on what collective action they are taking. You can read more here.
Access
We await confirmation of the process for the release of the proposed £2 per patient which continues to be under consideration from the ICB Executive and Finance. We have been given an indicative timeline of 2 further weeks before a final decision will be made. This funding, once approved, is for the second phase of the NWL access programme for 24/25, giving PCNs the opportunity to bid for funding to improve patient access, based on the findings of the engagement exercise and other baseline data they have. LLMC are currently unsighted as to what process PCNs will need to follow to bid for phase 2 funding. We will update you further once more details are known.
The Phase 1 engagement element, equating to 50p per patient, we understand is near completion with the contracts and spec going out to practices imminently. One essential component of Phase 1 is the patient survey, with the staff survey still under development. NWL ICB have indicated the patient survey element will require completion by mid-October 2024.
Primary Secondary Care Interface
LMC leads are meeting with the ICB and acute provider collaborative leads at a NWL-wide level to discuss how to implement solutions around four key areas, identified as priorities by NHSE:
- Onward referrals
- Complete care (fit notes and discharge letters)
- Call and recall
- Clear points of contact for clinicians
Londonwide LMCs has created template letters to help practices push back on un-resourced work transfer from secondary care to general practice. This can be uploaded to your clinical system for ease of use by practices. More information can be found here and a copy of the template letter here.
At a borough level, LMC leads attend Trust-GP forums to escalate and resolve problems with local Trust leads directly. LMC lead contact details are below along with the contact details of the Trust GP Liaison officers who are in place. Practices are encouraged to report any interface issues they are experiencing with local Trusts to the applicable GP liaison officer, copying in the relevant LMC lead for awareness.
| Trust-GP forum | GP liaison officer and contact details | Your LMC lead and contact details for escalation |
| Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals Trust-GP Forum | Claudien Mwalimu | Dr Alisha Khanna (KCW LMC Vice Chair) Ian.Oakley@lmc.org.uk |
| Hillingdon Hospitals Trust-GP Forum | Dr Veno Suri Dr Sujata Chadha (Hillingdon LMC Co-Chairs) Amy.Honor@lmc.org.uk | |
| Imperial College Hospital Trust-GP Forum | Joselyn King | Dr Kyla Cranmer (H&F LMC Chair) Dr Sid Datta (EHH LMC Chair) Ian.Oakley@lmc.org.uk |
| London North West University Hospital Trust-GP Forum (Brent/Ealing/Harrow): Central Middx, Ealing, Northwick Park, St Marks Hospitals | Aiesha Siyahla | Brent Dr Mike Edbury (Brent LMC) Amy.Honor@lmc.org.uk Ealing Dr Suk Shergill (Ealing LMC chair) Ian.Oakley@lmc.org.uk Harrow Dr Chaand Nagpaul (Harrow LMC Chair) Amy.Honor@lmc.org.uk |
| West Middlesex Hospital (Hounslow, part of Chelsea & Westminster Trust but holds own Trust-GP interface mtg) | Claudien Mwalimu | Dr Varendar Winayak (Hounslow LMC Chair) Ian.Oakley@lmc.org.uk |
NWL LMCs Strategic Leadership Network (SLN) discussions
NWL LMC Strategic Leadership Network (SLN) met on 17th September 2024. Key items on the agenda for discussion included:
- Primary Secondary Care Interface
- NWL ICB Single Offer Enhanced Services
- NWL Access programme
- Collective action
- NWL ICB restructure
- LMC engagement with local MPs
- NWL ICB ADHD newly approved provider
Darzi Review
The NWL LMC members also engage on a national, local and regional level. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, Chair of the Harrow LMC and Chair of the LMC NWL Strategic Leadership Network, was interviewed by Sky News on the day the Darzi Review into the NHS was published. Dr Nagpaul welcomed the Review’s recognition that primary care is underfunded. He agreed with the Review that the NHS was in a perilous state and that GPs cannot continue to do more with less funding. For a summary of the review, including Londonwide LMC’s submission to the review and response, please read our website piece here.
The NWL London LLMC team
Jamie Wright, Director Primary Care
Hannah Theodorou, Medical Director (EHH, KCW)
Asiya Yunus: Medical Director (Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon)
Lesley Williams, Assistant Director Primary Care
Ian Oakley, Committee Liaison Executive (EHH, KCW), Ian.Oakley@lmc.org.uk
Amy Honor, Committee Liaison Executive (Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon), Amy.Honor@lmc.org.uk