GPC England met yesterday where the majority of the day was spent discussing the GP contract negotiation proposals, including a package of proposed changes to the current contract. GPC England voted not to accept the proposed contract agreement with NHS England and NHS Improvement, condemned the draft Primary Care Networks service specifications and called for a Special Conference of English LMCs to allow GP to debate and consider the outcome of contract negotiations once they are concluded.

Next week, NHSE/I will be sending posters and counter cards to all practices in England to support the NHS ‘Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) – Help Us Help You, Get Protected’ campaign - as mandated within the 1920 GP Contract. These materials have been developed to support practices in encouraging their patients to get protected against measles, mumps and rubella, by getting the MMR vaccination. Posters and reception counter cards will be posted to GP practices for w/c 20 January 2020.

The BMA’s England GP committee has voted not to accept a contract agreement with NHS England and condemned the recently-published draft service specifications outlining what is expected of Primary Care Networks (PCNs)1 over the next four years.

Members of the committee, who met in London on Thursday 16 January, were presented with a package of changes but voted against accepting them. The GPC’s executive team will now return to negotiations with NHS England. Details of the package remain confidential.

A separate motion condemned the draft service specifications, put forward by NHS England and NHS Improvement in December, and called for a Special Conference of English LMCs3 to allow GP reps from across the country to debate and consider the outcome of contract negotiations.

This week's GPC meeting on Thursday 16th January will be critical for General Practice. Today (13th Jan), an urgent letter will go out requesting feedback from our LMC members. Please click on the link below to voice your concerns:-

https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/survey/primary-care-networks-service-specifications/

The BMA has produced a handy summary of the current proposals from NHSE for reference, on the PDF below, in which it is possible to more readily spot the areas of major concern:-

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1EMgxmcH5m6d6TfR2YYfKQaEy1UPCYSjW

For example:

- Each care home covered by a PCN must receive fortnightly visits from a GP and have a consistent, multidisciplinary team assigned to support its residents with weekly visits (page 17 of the draft specs).