The group that represents many small practices has given a “broad” welcome to the government’s rescue plan for general practice – while calling for further action to cut red tape. NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens yesterday pledged to put an extra £2.4 billion into general practice along with a series of support measures. The…

A multi-billion pound plan to rescue general practice is launched today. Spending on general practice is to increase by £2.4 billion a year by 2021 – a 14% increase, NHS England said. The plan was welcomed by one senior GP as the “most significant announcement” on the subject for 50 years. It promises a programme…

A group of GP practices is to take over its local community health services in a ground-breaking deal in east London, it has been announced. Some 37 practices own the Tower Hamlets GP Care Group Community Interest Company. It has won the contract to run community health services from the local clinical commissioning group. It…

There’s a lot of discussion lately about streaming services and becoming more modern.  Most practices have taken on the ability to text patients and have a snazzy website, many offer online appointments and some also orgnaise virtual patient participant groups. There is also now software around that almost removes the receptionist altogether when it comes…

Fans of The Apprentice take note: Pointy finger accompanied by the pronouncement “You’re fired!” is purely for entertainment purposes.  Try that in real life and, as we all know, you’ll very quickly receive notice of unfair dismissal proceedings (where an employee is entitled to bring them) because, although you may think you’ve acted justifiably under…

A large number of Practice Index members have voiced their concerns over the movement of medical records, calling it ‘an Information Governance nightmare’. Records are seemingly going into unlabelled grey bags with no receipts and no signatures.  Many practices are not handing over patient records to delivery drivers, with one practice manager writing, “it’s an absolute shambles…

Have you ever wondered if anyone is talking about your surgery online? Has one of your partners made the headlines for helping in the community? Or has someone perhaps unfairly criticised an encounter at the surgery? A free service offered by Google called Google Alerts can help you keep track of any online mentions of…