A lot has changed in regard to the CQC over recent months, and it would appear that the CQC are far from reaching a state of #newnormal2020 (other hashtags are available). We’ve been kept abreast of changes to the CQC’s regulatory approach, which saw them pause routine inspections and only inspect those organisations that were…

GPs and all their staff in Wales are to get an across the board pay increase worth nearly three per cent, it has been announced. All doctors and staff will get the 2.8% pay increase in the first deal of its kind between a national government and GP representatives. Overall, practices will get a 3.6%…

GPs diagnosed three times as many suspected COVID-19 cases during the peak of the pandemic than were shown in official results, according to research published today (8 September 2020). The study, led by Queen Mary University of London and published in the British Journal of General Practice, also reveals that black, Asian, and minority ethnic…

COVID-19 infection may now be endemic in poor areas of the UK, a public health expert said as the daily infection rate surged. It came as a new analysis identified six English hospitals that would be “overwhelmed” by a resurgence of the pandemic. The town of Bolton, Lancashire, tightened its lockdown over the weekend as…

I’ve turned into ‘that’ patient. The one who sits in the waiting room (remember those days?) and bumps into someone they know. “How are you?” the friend asks.  “Fine, thank you,” the patient replies.  “How are you?” the patients asks.  The friend replies, “Fine, thank you.” That’s what I’ve turned into, whenever someone asks me how I…

Having spent the best part of four decades as a practice manager, it goes without saying that Elaine Wilkinson has witnessed an awful lot of change in general practice. In 40 years, Elaine has had to deal with countless clinical, administrative, technological and funding changes – which she has successfully dealt with by following two…

Community pharmacists are to get a fresh programme of training to help them take pressure off GP practices, it has been announced. Pharmacists will be offered training in patient-facing consultations and clinical assessments in a project backed by the Royal College of GPs. Pharmacies are now seeing 10,000 patients a week in England referred to…