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You need to know the PGM 2024
NHS England released its updated Primary Medical Care Policy and Guidance Manual (PGM) this week. The PGM is used by the Integrated Care Boards to manage all aspects of general practice and helps to interpret and implement the various legislative regulations and directions which govern the sector.
Do you want to bid for NHS contracts?
Ross Clark provides a guide to the Provider Selection Regime for independent healthcare providers.
When partnerships go bad
Mounting pressures in general practice are leading to more disputes among partners. Ross Clark and Robert McCartney give some legal opinion on your options if it happens to you.
What the new provider selection regime means for GP practices, PCNs and GP provider organisations
New procurement regulations have been laid before Parliament which, when in force, will make considerable changes to the commissioning of health care services including, in particular, primary care.
Avoid falling out with your partners
Partnerships in private practice – be it through groups of consultants or GPs – have been growing over the last 15 years. And with them has come a rise in disputes.
Opportunity knocks for GP provider organisations
The new Health and Care Bill published in the summer sets out how the government plans to reform health services and achieve better integration between health and care in England. Ross Clark and Alison Oliver explore some of its key elements and its implications for general practice.
Do you want to change or leave your PCN? Have you reviewed the 2021-2022 Network Specification?
If you are thinking of changing PCNs, leaving your PCN or opting out of the Network Contract DES, you must inform your CCG by 30th April at the latest.
Help to ease the pain of partnership disputes
Partnership disputes are time-consuming, costly, stressful and de-stabilising for a practice and the individuals involved. But unfortunately, they are also more prevalent when partners are under pressure, as during the Covid-19 pandemic. Alison Oliver and Ross Clark explore common causes of partnership disputes, how to prevent them happening and what to do if one arises in your practice
Primary Care – the impact of the White Paper
The main thrust of the paper is to put ICS (integrated Care Systems) onto a statutory footing, and provide the statutory foundation for the reforms which are a progression of the Five Year Forward View (which was published 7 years ago now) and the NHS Long Term Plan published in 2019.
Contract changes for 2021/22 announced
NHS England issued a letter on 21 January 2021 summarising changes to the GMS contract for 2021/2022. Ongoing uncertainty arising from the pandemic means that there will need to be further changes to the contract in the course of the year.
Are you licensed for your COVID Vacs sites?
Finding appropriate venues to give the COVID-19 vaccinations has resulted in some creative thinking as to places where this can be done.
Checked your Covid-19 Collaboration Agreement?
With the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme by general practice starting next week, practices need to agree the terms on which they will collaborate to deliver the programme in accordance with the vaccination enhanced service specification
Incorporation of GP practices – what the NHS may require
GP practices wanting to incorporate will be considered in line with new guidance issued by the NHS. GP enquiries about incorporating their practices or forming PCN companies have risen in part driven by the added liability created by PCNs and other "at scale" providers.
Supply and demand in the time of Covid
With a busy flu vaccination season, surgeries have had to juggle supplies with unprecedented demand - In ordinary circumstances surgeries, without a wholesale dealers license, are not permitted to share vaccines amongst themselves. Though in the past the MHRA has issued an exemption allowing this