NHS England is likely to avoid new conflicts over GP contracts and concentrate on recruitment, its new head of primary care has said. Dr Amanda Doyle, director of primary care at NHS England, told MPs yesterday that there would not be a “big bang” to rip up the contract and start again. She spoke after…

A GP and a GP practice have been recognised for their contributions to research and innovation. The NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) and the Royal College of GPs say the Practice Award and the First5® Award acknowledges the “excellent” contributions of NHS clinicians to research and recognises GPs with an emerging interest or experience in…

People dying with dementia have reduced need to go to hospital at the end of life if they have good continuity of care at home, according to a UK study published today. The study by King’s College London, published in the British Journal of General Practice, says transitions to hospital are distressing for patients and…

Practices are to get digital flags on patient records alerting them to patients who have firearms licences, it was announced today. The move was welcomed by senior GPs today as it allows doctors to take action if they come across patients who are unsafe to keep firearms. Under the plans practices will not immediately get…

The NHS in England faces a “crippling shortage” of GPs and general practice nurses in the next 10 years, experts have warned. The Health Foundation’s REAL Centre estimated the shortage of qualified, permanent GPs will substantially deteriorate over the next decade to 10,700 full-time equivalent (FTE) GPs in 2030/31. This compares with a shortage of…

When a story emerged recently of a single-handed GP who’d had to cancel pre-booked leave with her family because she wasn’t able to secure cover from a locum, it was a striking example of the impact of the lack of available GPs. It made it abundantly clear that the consequences of the current shortage extend…

The IGPM presented a webinar yesterday (29th June) on Veteran-Friendly Surgeries. Are you one? Should you be? Why would you be? And what do you need to do to get that accreditation? We were accompanied by two ‘expert’ guests – Brigadier Robin Simpson (retired) FRCGP, and Darren Davies, Staff Sergeant, Royal Military Police (also retired).…