Question 1

Type 2 Medical Practitioners – Self Assessment

Accepted Answer

A Type 2 medical practitioner is a:

Salaried GP formally employed by a GP surgery, APMS Contractor, or a LHB (Wales).
Long-term fee-based GP who worked for a GP surgery, APMS Contractor, or a LHB.
GP who solely performs OOHs either on an employed or self-employed basis.
GP ‘with special interests’ (GPwSI) employed or engaged by NHS England or a LHB.

As a rule of thumb, any GP who is not a GP partner, or not solely working as a GP locum, will probably be considered a Type 2 practitioner. See NASGP's GP-only Facebook group for conversations on this topic

Every Type 2 medical Practitioner in England and Wales is required by law to complete an annual self-assessment form and arrange for any arrears of employee contributions to be sent to the relevant NHS Pension Scheme ‘employer’. If contributions have been overpaid, the Type 2 GP must also be pro-active in recovering these.

PDF download for NASGP members

Our upcoming magazine includes a new FAQ on Type-2 self-assessment. If you're an NASGP member you can download and read it now.

Exclusive advanced access to our new FAQ on Type-2 forms.

The form must be sent to the relevant local area team in England or LHB in Wales by no later than the last day of February each year.

If a Type 2 medical Practitioner fails to complete the form and subsequently pays employee contributions at the wrong rate, they are acting in breach of statutory pensions legislation; this may affect their NHS pension benefits at retirement. There is more detailed guidance on the form.

Why is the deadline 28th Feb 2109?

It's a typo - it's really 28th February 2019 (but you guessed that, right?!). Not exactly reassuring though.

Where's the calculator?

Promise from PCSE (as of 18/01/19) is that it will be here "any day now". When it does go live it'll be published here (if you notice it before we do, do us a favour and email us on info@nasgp.org.uk so we can update this link).

Do I need to list all practices, even ones I've locumed in (Personal details TAB - Tab E)?

No. You only need to list the practices where you were Type 2 (salaried) - it's referring to the practices in which PCSE made deductions direct from via the practice budget (therefore excludes locum posts, so they are aware of where any corrections need to be made if appropriate).

Any other questions?

Leave a comment and we'll find the answer as quickly as possible.

Question 2

How do I get an NHS email address?

Accepted Answer

All GPs are eligible for an NHS email account, regardless of whether you're a partner, locum or salaried, and is an essential requirement for your practise as a GP in the NHS. Either ask the IT person in a practice that you get on well with to 'sponsor' you, but failing that your CCG, or its equivalent, is under obligation to issue you with one.

NHS England email pilot open to GP locums
NHS advice on registering GP locums

If you already have an NHS email address from your role as a salaried GP or partner, probably 'branded' with your practice's name, you are entitled to keep it. Speak to your local IT helpdesk (CCG or equivalent) and they will simply change your 'brand' to the CCG's or equivalent. Don't take no for an answer, and explain that you need it to access certain courses such as online safeguarding training, for NHS appraisal (in many cases) as an appraisee, and as a GP to pass information securely about patients. If they still refuse, ask for their name and the name of their supervisor, and read them this: "I have made a record of your details and your refusal to supply me with a secure NHS email address that is an essential requirement as a NHS GP to transmit patient-identifiable information. I need to be pass this information on to my appraiser, and to your organisation's Caldicott Guardian, so that I can personally ensure that all information governance issues relating to your refusal have been recorded". Then give them your phone number to call you back should new information come to light...

Question 3

Data Protection Act | Do I need to register?

Accepted Answer

As a freelance GP you'll need to hold all sorts of information - names and addresses of practices; other GPs; colleagues; educational centres etc. And what do you do with this data - do you market yourself? Is it just for invoices? Do you give your data to other GPs or practices? It is possible that, as a small business, you may have to register with the Data Protection Act. Whether you need to all depends on what you use your data for and, needless to say, isn't straight forward. Fortunately, the Information Commissioner's Office website has a series of simple questions to ask and, depending on your answers, will tell you whether you need to register or not (and what can happen if you don't!).

Information Commissioner's Office

Question 4

How do I get on the performers list?

Accepted Answer

As a GP working, or planning to work, in the UK, you need to go through a three-stage process.

Step 1 - join the GMC's GP register

If you are applying to work as a GP (general practitioner or family physician) in the UK, as well as being licensed by the GMC, you'll also need to be on the GMC's GP Register.
About the GMC GP register

Step 2 - join one of the four UK Performers Lists

If you you're not already working, state your “intent to work” on your performers list application, outlining roughly how many sessions a week you plan to work from a particular date.

[well]

Wales

Apply to join the Wales Performers List.

England

Northern Ireland

Apply to join the NI Performers list.

Scotland

From 1 June 2016 there has been a Scotland-wide, standardised application process. GPs still apply to the relevant local health board (HB) but entry to one HB list also includes you on all other HB lists, so you can work across Scotland.

[/well]

Step 3 - join the NHS appraisal process

Your Area Team will assign you to a 'designated body', who'll oversee your appraisal and subsequent revalidation.

Question 5

Do I need to prove my Hepatitis B status?

Accepted Answer

It's now a requirement of the Care Quality Commission CQC that every member of staff working in a GP practice has an up-to-date Hepatitis B status. The MPS have prepared a summary of why this is needed, as part of the CQC's Cleanliness and infection control (Outcome 8, Regulation 12) "People are cared for in a clean environment, and are protected from acquiring infections". If you're a chambers locum or are employed as an agency locum, they'll no doubt otherwise notify every practice on your behalf. Otherwise it's a sign of a well organised locum to provide this in advance of working. If you're employed by a practice as a salaried GP, you'll be entitled to free immunisation status checks and boosters if they're a good employer. As a locum, unless you can persuade a friendly practice, you'll have to arrange this yourself with your own GP as a private service. Added to this, the Green Book states:

Healthcare workers in the UK and overseas (including students and trainees): all healthcare workers who may have direct contact with patients’ blood, blood-stained body fluids or tissues, require vaccination. This includes any staff who are at risk of injury from blood contaminated sharp instruments, or of being deliberately injured or bitten by patients.

As a GP, if you're exposed to continuing risk of infection, you should have a single booster dose of vaccine, once only, around five years after primary immunisation. Measurement of anti-HBs levels is not required either before or after this dose.

Question 6

How often do I need a DBS check?

Accepted Answer

Read this FAQ to find out

How often you need a Disclosure and Barring Service DBS check
Where and how to get one
How it works if you work for a locum agency
And what the CQC say about it

Read the FAQ

Question 7

Can I work as a GP is my National Performers List (NPL) status is out of date?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The PCSE website states " [As long as it can be ascertained via HEE or GMC website that the GP has completed their training]...there should be no reason why the trainee should not be permitted to practise independently whilst the administrative change in status is undertaken."

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