Can I access LMC support if I am a sessional GP
Like everyone, GPs may go through times of significant change or face challenges. If you are a Sessional GP (ie salaried or locum), and working in a Cheshire practice which pays the statutory levy, you can access free advice and services as described below.
To access our support, you must be regularly working in a Cheshire NHS GP practice (under GMS/PMS/APMS contracts). Currently, our support is free at the point of delivery. You may be asked to provide details of your current workplace.
There are other services out there which may be able to offer free support and/or coaching and the LMC will endeavour to make locums aware of the lowest cost option they are aware of if it is deemed an appropriate fit for the needs.
Cheshire LMC provides a wide range of opportunities to access advice or up to date guidance on a range of GP related issues including (but not exclusive to) –
Contract updates
GP premises
Pensions
New to practice or thinking of becoming a partner
First 5 groups
The LMC also provides pastoral support on practice or performance issues involving either NHS England and local performance procedures or the GMC. These processes can be extremely stressful, and GPs need to know that they can turn to the LMC for confidential support whatever the problem. There may be issues we cannot help with directly but we will still endeavour to help support individuals to meet their needs.
When possible, we will try to connect GPs with other external services that offer free or low-cost support, such as mentoring and coaching. Cheshire LMC will endeavour to inform Sessional GPs about the lowest cost options if an individual has a clear need for this type of service.
Contact us
If you feel you would benefit from our offer of GP Support, simply contact us (it would be helpful to include your contact telephone number, please).
Alternatively, contact the office on: Tel. 01244 313483 and ask for the Chief Executive to arrange for a discussion at a mutually convenient time.
The LMC team are used to dealing with highly confidential situations and information shared with us does not get shared outside of staff you discuss your situation with unless with the permission of the individual or if there is a risk to self or others or GMC rules require otherwise.
Useful Links
We previously highlighted the change of form and upload process for type 2 pension forms for 2023-24. As a salaried GP, out of hours GP or long-term locum within a practice, you are required to complete a Type 2 Self-Assessment for each pension year, so that NHS England can ensure that all NHS pension contributions have been correctly paid and allocated correctly to the NHS Pension Scheme record.
The relevant forms must be completed by members who have undertaken practitioner pensionable work between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, and should be submitted to PCSE by 28 February 2025.
The deputy chair of the BMA pensions committee, Krishan Aggarwal, will also be attending the webinars to support member queries. These will be held on:
Tuesday 14 January 6pm to 7.30pm
Tuesday 4 February 6pm to 7.30pm
Please click here to register for the webinars.
The BMA is here to support you and you can find more details about these changes on our webpage >
We are thrilled to announce a significant enhancement to maternity leave benefits for salaried GPs, following a recent unanimous vote by GPC UK. The number of weeks at half pay for maternity leave will increase from 14 weeks to 18 weeks. This change aligns maternity leave provisions with those of hospital doctors and ensures salaried GPs are no longer at a detriment to their hospital-based colleagues.
We have produced guidance, resources and template lettersto aid the implementation of this change. The new maternity leave benefits are as follows:
· 8 weeks of full pay, less any SMP (statutory maternity pay) or MA (maternity allowance) receivable, including any dependants’ allowances.
· 18 weeks of half pay, rather than 14 weeks, plus any SMP or MA receivable, ensuring the total does not exceed full pay.
13 weeks at SMP or MA, as entitled under the statutory scheme.
This change was made possible thanks to the unity and collective resolve of our profession.
By implementing this new maternity leave pay change, we're not just helping individuals, but also strengthening our profession. These enhanced benefits reflect our commitment to supporting salaried GPs throughout their working lives.
Next Steps: We recommend all practices discuss these changes with their salaried GPs. Following which, we recommend that a contract variation letter is issued to each salaried GP to reflect these changes.
Further information and the relevant contract variation letters can be found on our website.
We recommend that you make these changes before 1 April 2025, but we encourage all practices to make these changes as soon as possible, to ensure that no salaried GPs miss out.