Frequent attenders visit practices five times as often as other patients, according to a new UK study, published today. A team at the University of Manchester analysed consulting patterns among the top 10% of consulting patients with: all staff, including admin staff, in the practice; only with GPs; and face-to-face consultations with all staff, and…

Practices in England are to get a significant increase in payments for COVID vaccinations next week as the government seeks to maintain them at a million a day. NHS England has offered £20 a vaccination throughout the holiday week, starting with this Saturday, Christmas Day, it has been revealed. Practices have also been offered relief…

Practice staff are facing new pressures as they seek to respond to massive public demand for booster vaccines, it has been revealed. Problems may worsen as health services face record levels of staff sickness as Omicron infection takes hold, senior NHS figures have warned. One senior GP spoke of “exhausted” staff, who need a break…

A senior GP has set out the hard choices that practices now face – questioning the Prime Minister’s claim that practices can help deliver a million booster vaccines a day. GPs need to continue to be concerned about other life-threatening diseases that affect their patients, as well as COVID, according to Dr Brigid Joughin, clinical…

Practices and other NHS services have been asked to give priority to the vaccine booster campaign – postponing routine appointments. A statement last night by Prime Minister Boris Johnson was backed by a letter circulated to practices by NHS England. The UK is hoping to reach a million vaccinations a day in a massive drive…

Following on from a difficult 2020 and the start of the pandemic, 2021 has been a highly pressured and volatile year in primary care. With PMs at the forefront of the ever changing general practice landscape, and with increasing demands on time, resources and sanity, the Institute of General Practice Management felt it was important…

There are some difficult financial challenges coming up, both for practices and their employees, and given the precarious state general practice is already in, there are concerns that they might prove to be a bridge too far for many. In this month’s Practice Index practice manager panel podcast, finance expert James Gransby outlines some key…