Your LMC contends that the GPC negotiations failed to obtain national negotiating rights for PMS practices, has failed to enforce the agreement that 100% of IT costs would be funded, has failed to ensure enhanced services funding was directed to general practice and has failed to negotiate a fair funding formula (80% practices are to rely on MPIG support).

In addition, GPC has allowed new contract funding and security to be chipped away for example through the 0.9956 correction factor and sale of goodwill legislation.

With morale amongst GP principals no better than it was 3 years ago it is your LMCs opinion that the negotiators have failed to deliver and should tender their resignations. In addition, with more and more of the contract needing to be negotiated at local level it is your LMCs view that GPC should devolve its structure to for example a Greater Manchester Regional LMC.

What is it all about?

Accounts drawn up on a cash basis deal with the actual amount of money received during the relevant year. Accounts drawn up on an accruals basis (resource accounting) deal with the amount of money due to contractors in that year, regardless of when it was received. It is standard accounting practice to convert accounts from a cash basis to an accruals basis.

The Department announced that a factor of 0.9956 would be applied nationally in order to convert the baseline data for 2002-03 for the final Global Sum Equivalent from a cash basis to an accruals basis. Although a conversion factor from a cash basis to an accruals basis for the Global Sum Equivalent calculation had been expected, it was anticipated that this would be positive, not negative. It is indeed customary for such adjustments from cash to accruals to be positive because, other things being equal, additions (items that fell due within the period but were paid thereafter) are on a higher price base than subtractions (items that fell due before the period but were paid during the period).

GPC have written to the Department’s Director of Finance and Investment for the derivation of this figure.

GMS practices will have received a document in which to indicate final acceptance of the final Global Sum Equivalent figures for their practice.

GPC advises practices to inform their PCT that this issue is being considered at a national level. Practices signing off their figures should only do so noting that their agreement is subject to discussions at national level. Practices could also advise their PCO that they might enter the formal dispute resolution procedure.

Alternatively practices that wish to use the formal dispute resolution procedure in the first instance may do so.

We will advise further when information becomes available.

The Executive Committee would like to extend its thanks on behalf of Stockport GPs to Dr Sipra Pal, from Vernon Park Surgery, Brinnington who decided to stand down at the recent election for her service on the LMC Committee.

The LMC currently has one vacancy in each of its North and West constituencies. Should any GP feel the time is right for them to represent their colleagues on the LMC please contact Paul Stevens at the office on 0161 429 6498.

GPC’s are still insisting their guidance to be accurate and that a further payment is due. We will keep you informed of developments.

The National Programme for IT (NPfIT) has appointed 5 Local Service Providers (LSP) to implement the core national applications. CSC is the LSP for the North West and West Midlands Cluster, and will be responsible for delivering the 3 core elements of the national programme, namely Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions, Electronic Booking and Scheduling, and the NHS Care Record Service. Significant national and local funding will be made available to fund the 10 year contract with the LSPs.

All NHS organisations will be required to work with their respective LSPs to implement these core services. Stockport PCT will be responsible for ensuring that the local infrastructure, training and manpower resources are available to ensure successful implementation. Early priorities for local funding will be the development of a high speed broadband wide area network and the replacement of end user hardware (workstations and printers etc).

Stockport PCT is working with other PCTs and acute trusts in the SE Sector of Greater Manchester and the Pennine Care NHS Trust to negotiate priorities with the LSP. Future IM&T development will need to be integrated with a sector wide planning approach to ensure consistent implementation and standardisation of applications and hardware.

There is a requirement for PCTs to deliver a community patient administration system and GP clinical systems as part of the NHS Care Record Service, within the next 12 – 18 months. To date CSC have agreed sub contracts with In Practice Systems and TOREX to deliver data centre centric solutions for GP options. The PCT has been advised that they are also negotiating with EMIS to provide a GP solution, however there is no information on the position of Microtest and Protechnic Exeter systems. The PCTs’ ability to install applications outside the CSC portfolio is severely restricted.

The proposed timescales are very challenging, and PCTs and practices will be expected to upgrade at very short notice. It is essential that any migrations are planned thoroughly to avoid issues around data loss, staff training, business continuity.

The national program options for GP clinical systems will have a considerable impact on the ability of practices to deliver the nGMS contract. Stockport PCT has 24 practices that use systems outside the expected CSC portfolio for GP clinical options. In addition, of the remaining practices, all but one will need to upgrade the software to a “LSP compliant” version (eg TOREX synergy/ EMIS PCS etc).

Balancing the local priorities with the national and LSP priorities is further complicated by the uncertainty over whether the national programme will fund these GP option migrations. As a result all upgrades and replacements at practices require a thorough review by the PCT.

The Home Office has produced a guidance document for medical practitioners completing cremation forms outlining eligibility to sign, guidance on completion and a number of answers to frequently asked questions. The details are available by following this direct link

I will be writing out to all GPs in the very near future with full details of the event, in the meantime if anyone has any suggestions as to how we can wrestle the trophy away from our two times winner Keith Richardson, please do let me know!