GPs received emails over the bank holiday weekend misinforming them that they had been allocated principal or salaried status in PCSE’s new online pay and pensions portal, Pulse reports.
In some cases, GPs were informed that, as well as being a locum, they were both salaried and partner too, whilst others GPs have received no notification at all.
PCSE was forced to follow up emails with a notification explaining their error, but not before GPs took to Twitter to question the mistake.
In the meantime, it was left to the BMA’s pensions lead Dr Krishan Aggarwal to contact individual GPs.
A history of mistakes and errors has left GPs disappointed and nervous about changes by PCSE, especially when PCSE also administers NHS Pensions.
Last March GP Survival, a cross-profession campaign group, found out in an FOI that NHS England had paid out thousands of pounds to GPs after Primary Care Support England (PCSE) mishandled pensions information. The compensation offer was made on the condition that GPs accepted a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that prevented them from talking about the payment.
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chair of the NASGP, said: “It is hugely disappointing to us GPs to have been deeply distracted over the Bank Holiday, particularly for those of us lucky enough to have a break, by receiving wildly conflicting emails about our Performers List status, that is so integral to our licence to practice as GPs.
“Like other professionals, we have a regulator – the GMC – which relies on us to have accurate records. That PCSE oversees our NHS pension just adds more anxiety that we can well do without.
“NHS England should perform a root and branch audit of PCSE’s performance to make sure that doctors stop being distracted from mistakes like this so that we can focus fully on providing complex patient care.”