News
Our latest national policy news and analysis now lives in our community (see below). Sessional GPs can join for free to read, react, and discuss together. You can still browse our archived news articles here.
March ‘biggest month ever’ for LocumDeck bookings, NASGP reports
Bookings in March were even higher than February, which broke previous records.
Hundreds of GPs have left the NHS to work overseas, new FOI reveals
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chair of the NASGP, said: “As GPs we are experts in family, health, caring for our local communities, whether we choose to do that in one practice or across multiple practices as a freelance GP."
Free Chambers scheme opens in Essex for GP locums following new partnership with CCG
North East Essex chambers will be open to NASGP members, including GPs on a free trial, for several months this summer.
GP revalidation begins again in August 2021, GMC says
The GMC will contact GPs in August to reschedule revalidation, Pulse reports.
GPs are working 11-hour days on average in 2021, new Pulse survey of 1,400 doctors shows
Dr Richard Fieldhouse said: “We went into this pandemic knowing that there was a GP shortage and, thanks to this very timely Pulse survey, we can see that that shortage is going to have a significant impact on how we move forward as a profession."
Safety investigation launched into the NHS Covid Clinical Assessment Service
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chair of the NASGP, said: “As an organisation that is by GPs, for GPs, the NASGP fully understands that there's going to be some nervousness amongst our members about this investigation. But we fully expect the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch to take a systems-based approach to this investigation."
Welsh GP locums forced into banks by state indemnity clause
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chair of the NASGP, said: “Although we completely understand that there needs to be better coordination and integration of GP locums into local healthcare systems, this must not be mistaken for a top-down, quick-fix implementation of compulsory systems without consultation. This approach only serves to disenfranchise those involved, leading to instability and long term recruitment and retention issues."
Saying sorry does not mean accepting liability for mistakes, the CQC tells GPs
“This statement from the CQC is very welcome and will help empower locums to be able to move the process along towards finding solutions," Dr Fieldhouse responded.
GPs who got thousands in pensions compensation silenced by NHS gagging clause
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chair of the NASGP, said: "GP Survival’s work has highlighted the lengths that PCSE is happy to go to in order to avoid being overwhelmed by their creaking systems as they seek to correct pension records."
GP locums least likely to have had second Covid-19 dose: BMA
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chair of NASGP, writes: “It saddens me to see that GP locums are again at the back of the queue, but I’m not surprised."
A third of locums say work is increasing, BMA reports
Of the 27.97% of respondents who undertook locum work, a third (9.32%) reported an increase. Just under a third (8.49%) reported no change, but said that they could have done more work had they wished to.
GP locums’ SEISS scheme expanded in new Budget
GP locums will be able to maintain access to financial support through the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) until September 2021, and GP locums who joined the sector in 2019/20 will also be able to claim, according to the new Spring Budget.
GPs to receive double the supply of Covid-19 vaccines from next week
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chair of NASGP, said: “It's great news that general practice is already planning the revaccination programme for this coming winter. With the wheels already in motion for everyone to receive their booster dose and double the existing rate, GPs have shown that general practice is fully capable of managing this demand.”
Covid-19 revaccination campaign scheduled for autumn/winter
A revaccination campaign is 'likely to run later this year in autumn or winter', the Government says.
Free membership scheme launches in Devon, Oxfordshire and Berkshire
Dr Richard Fieldhouse writes: “By enabling local GPs and practices to have unfettered access to NASGP resources, we provide the simplest way for practices to link in with local locums."
Record-breaking month on LocumDeck: bookings, GPs and practices up
Dr Richard Fieldhouse said: "There's so much to celebrate with this news."
Three GPs a day quit under burnout and long Covid pressures
Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the RCGP, told the paper: “GPs and our teams want to provide safe, high-quality care to our patients and we can only do this with an adequate workforce. We desperately need more GPs.”
No change to GP pension taxation, MPs rule
The Government has approved ‘deferred choice underpin’ but refused to change the rules on the tax-free pension allowance.
Women in general practice ‘earning 15% less than men’
Men and women in salaried GP roles still face huge pay gaps, with a woman’s average GP salary nearly £40,000 beneath a man’s.
Pensions form A and B ‘10-week rule’ suspended for GP locums for the tax year 2021/22
NHS Pensions has confirmed that the ‘10-week rule’ for pension forms has been suspended for 2021/22.
Pensions ‘traps’ put sessional GP income at risk, BMA pensions committee chair warns
Vishal Sharma, BMA pensions committee chair, highlighted ‘less than full-time work’ and parental leave – two of the key concerns for many NASGP members.
No jabs: 12% of GP locums still waiting for first Covid-19 vaccination, BMA warns
A BMA poll last week found that 12% of locum GPs had not received their first vaccination against the virus by 23 January - compared with just 2% of partners and 7% of salaried GPs.
Government cuts ‘red tape’ for returners
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, NASGP chair, said: “Although it is vital to support the vaccination programme wherever possible, this ‘quick, simple and cheap’ approach of papering over the cracks by fast-tracking retired GPs is no substitute for engagement with the existing sessional GP workforce.
Sessional GPs ‘much less likely’ to get COVID vaccination despite JCVI priority, BMA survey finds
Without a centralised system for delivering the vaccine to healthcare workers, sessional GPs must undertake their own ‘trial and error’ strategy to get their first jab.