Cheshire LMC Briefing December 2024

Message from the CEO

A new plan for a new year?

Welcome to the December edition of Cheshire LMCs briefing. We are trying out a new format to go with our new website which is now up and running. We will be adding more content to the web site in the coming weeks. We would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions and any feedback on the new website.

2024 has flown by and we have promises of a new 10-year plan for the NHS to be launched in Spring 2025. After the Darzi review gave a bleak picture of the current state of the NHS, hopes are pinned on the 10-year plan. We know from what we have heard so far that the focus will be to shift services from hospital to community, a focus on digital technology and wellness. Integrated care boards (ICBs) have already been asked to focus on neighbourhood health, with NHS England taking on performance management.

With the ‘left shift’ to the community, focus on neighbourhood health and the prevention agenda heading up the to do list, ICBs will need to hit the ground running in the new year. What is lacking is any confirmation of the funding – capital and revenue, to support developing neighbourhood health. There is no doubt that to deliver neighbourhood health the infrastructure will need developing in primary care and the wider community. Primary care estates are already under pressure before any further shift of services.

We also need an urgent review and uplift in the core funding for general medical practice. The last negotiated 5-year contract has now lapsed and NHSE have failed to grasp the issue of a new contract, preferring to impose one in April 2024. In terms of getting a real uplift to the core contract we need to make a stand and support each other and the profession with the current collective action. If not now when?

Other areas of focus include technology and of particular interest is the potential use of A.I. We are already hearing from some practices how use of A.I. during GP consultations is saving time taking notes. The A.I. capturing the notes so the GP just checks them before adding to the patient record. GPs using this are saying they find it easier to really listen to patients. It may be that with better access to data A.I. can undertake more – such as starting to identify cohorts of people who will benefit from primary, secondary, or tertiary prevention initiatives. With neighbourhood health bringing together services in a community, who can best work with each patient group to plan proactive care. Understanding where neighbourhoods are now with use of technology and scoping what else is needed should be a priority for ICBs.

Primary care and community services already carryout 90% of the daily NHS activity, with demand outstripping capacity. 2025 will be a challenging year to start to get the NHS heading towards any recovery. Getting the infrastructure right is a crucial first step, understanding the demand and identifying the best way to manage this utilising all primary care and community resources will be key follow-on step for the future. Shifting services to support early interventions and wellness –while also managing immediate need will be another demanding hurdle to cross.

2025 will be challenging and busy. The LMC will be here to help you. We look forward to supporting all our practices in the year ahead.

Season’s greetings to all our readers.

William Greenwood

CEO

What does the future hold for GP premises?

Listen to the GP online podcast with Dr Gaurav Gupta, GPC England lead for premises, who talks about the terrible state of GP premises in England. He explains what the new premises cost directions could mean for practices, the problems facing practices based in NHS Property Services buildings and why GP premises ownership should still have an important role in future plans for the primary care estate.

Sessional GP Update December

Welcome to the December newsletter from the sessional GPs committee

In this newsletter: England GPs campaign | Wales GPs campaign | Scotland GPs investment | GP collective action in England guidance | NHS Pension Scheme advice

The sessional GPs committee forms part of the BMA GPs committee – we provide national representation for all salaried and locum GPs. Our members come from a range of backgrounds and careers, and we use our knowledge and experience to speak up and fight for a better deal for sessional GPs across the UK.

Cheshire Sessional GP Group’s Social Gathering

Wednesday 15th January 2025 / Medical Education Centre at COCH / From 7pm

RSVP by Thursday 9th January - please click the following link:- https://forms.office.com/e/iuxYm2kZXr

or reply to sarah.lazarowicz@googlemail.com 

View the invitation here

NB:- Please include any dietary requirements and your vehicle registration number if parking on site. 

Having been unable to find volunteers to continue the group, we will be using our remaining funds to provide an evening of food, drink and friendship. 

Please do come along and share a simple buffet supper with wine. 

GP partners from your practice are also welcome. 

If you have a non-medical spouse/partner/significant other who would like to meet your colleagues, do bring them a long, please just let us know for catering purposes. 

Our remaining funds will be donated to ‘Operation Smile’. 

Kath will bring information about this charity, with which her husband Paul is actively involved.

Dr Stewart Leitch, the next President of Chester & North Wales Medical Society, and Dr Shana Tam, Vice Chair of Cheshire LMC and Sessional GP Representative will also be joining us. 

We look forward to seeing you.

Sarah, Sue, Kath and Dotty 

Our communication with your practice is extremely important to us.

If there have been any GP/Locum/Salaried/GP/Practice Manager changes within your practice could you please email Julie Hughes at Cheshire LMC with an update to ensure our distribution list is up to date.