The  eagerly long-awaited GP Contract letter 2024/25 has been published. I’d like to say that I was shocked, except I’m not. I don’t think I should be surprised really. The negotiations with the consultants and junior doctors have been the first clue to what was waiting around the corner. The 1.9% teaser headline a few…

I’m used to reading NHSE documents, and I know that sometimes you have to read between the lines. That doesn’t appear to be the case this time around. I feel terrible that I’m so suspicious, but the release of documents late on a Friday, with big changes compared to almost every other year’s documents, made…

With the announcement of pay rises for doctors this year, what does this mean for our practices? Well, that very much depends on where you’re sitting. The DDRB recommendations vary according to type of doctor and where in the country your practice sits. What the DDRB said was: Contractor GMPs in Scotland, Wales and Northern…

This week, NHSE have released their Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care along with a covering letter. Well, dear readers, I’ve waded through it, as I’m sure many of you will have done, and I’ll admit to being a bit confused. As is common of late, many of the announcements and ideas that…

I had an inkling that the contract letter would be a bit contentious, given the protracted and somewhat painful mutterings of the BMA GP committee, but when I read it last night I was speechless. This is the second year a contract has been imposed on us without agreement. We’re in the final year of…

You might be forgiven for thinking that COVID-19 and flu aren’t new news. You might also be forgiven for wondering why, as we embark on the flu campaign for this year, we’re only now receiving details of the plan of support put in place for practices and PCNs over the winter. The ICS Framework should,…

I’ve often thought that instead of all the ridiculous standards imposed on us, we’d be better off with a version of the Friends and Family test to check our performance. However, this week has killed that particular thought. Staff have been shouted at and I’ve been sworn at. Usually, it’s water off a duck’s back,…