Reported CQC failures impact on GP practices
GPs will have been concerned to read that an independent review of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), led by Dr Penny Dash, identified ‘significant internal failings’ that hinder the regulator’s ability to effectively judge how health and social care services are...
New RCGP guidance sets clear limits on Physician Associate roles
Both the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) and the British Medical Association (BMA) recently voted to phase out Physician Associate (PA) roles on grounds of patient safety. However, around 2,000 PAs already work in general practice. In recognition of this reality and the...
2024 RCGP annual conference and Labour’s plans for the NHS
Medical Defense Society was pleased to sponsor and attend the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Annual Conference and Exhibition 2024 on 3–4 October at the ACC Liverpool. We heard from Wes Streeting, who addressed delegates in a keynote speech – the first...
GP contract 2024/25: Latest developments..
After GPs voted in March to reject the 2024/25 contract, the British Medical Association (BMA) formally entered into dispute with NHS England and issued guidance on how to approach the contract changes in practice. Since then, the Doctors and Dentists Review Body...
An update on GP contract action & a round-up of manifesto pledges on primary care
With the imposition of the 2024/25 GP contract, providing a 1.9% funding uplift to practices, many GPs are angry that the government has not done enough to improve pay and working conditions in primary care. The British Medical Association (BMA) has now provided...
After the General Election, what next for the future of primary care?
As Sir Keir Starmer and the new Labour government roll up their sleeves and set out their priorities for the coming months, healthcare is a key issue on the agenda. Having diagnosed that the “NHS is broken”, the government now has the challenging task of trying to fix...
Imposition of the 2024/25 GP contract: Can industrial action be averted?
The 2024/25 GP contract that was imposed by NHS England on 1st April provides practices with a funding uplift of about 1.9%, an increase labelled as ‘an insult’ by GP leaders. They warn that much more is needed to prevent practice closures and sustain patient...
The 2024/25 GP contract: The saga continues
The imposition of the 2024/25 GP contract on 1 April, giving practices a funding uplift of about 1.9%, was resoundingly rejected by GPs in a British Medical Association (BMA) referendum. Now, the BMA general practitioners committee England (GPCE) has announced a...
The launch of Pharmacy First
Pharmacy First was launched by the government and NHS England on 31 January 2024, as part of the primary care access recovery plan. The scheme enables community pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common health conditions, so that patients can...
MMR vaccination is a priority for GPs as measles cases rise
Across Europe and the UK, health authorities are warning that urgent measures are required to protect people from measles as it spreads among poorly-immunised populations. In the UK, MMR vaccination coverage is at its lowest for over a decade, and a spike in measles...
Five questions to ask before signing a ‘fit to participate’ certificate
As winter arrives, many GPs will receive requests to certify patients for fitness to participate in winter activities. Given the potential for injuries from skiing, snowboarding, or even more extreme winter sports, GPs should bear in mind that signing without due...
Latest advances in weight management
The world of weight management is evolving, with several interesting developments announced in 2023, including updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on pharmacological treatments, referrals for surgery and digital...