Jel Coward wrote:
> Well we can ask her - I will :)
>
..and so I did (see below). I might bow out of this after this posting. I
agree that the GP vs Em debate is often fairly fruitless. This particualr
discussion though has involved the exchange of some interesting information
and _might_ have led to some better understanding, so perhaps has served
some purpose. I think I was intrigued by the mysterious initial posting
and thus I became engaged:
The (in my experience) very knowledgeable Fay wrote (note the lovely invite
at the end - might take a brave person to accept ;-) :
<From Fay>
If the question is this: "Fine, but how does 90% of GPs giving up OOH work
following the new contract constitute "the acute side being well covered"?"
- I fear he misunderstands the situation. There is no information about how
many GPs gave up (or indeed took up) OOH following the new contract. The
90% is how many GPs gave up responsibility.
In the Birmingham area there are about 180 GPs actually doing OOH work with
Badger and there are more working for Primecare. There are 220 opted in and
many of those doing the work are opted out of the responsibility - or are
sessional docs who do not have any responsibility from which to opt in or
out. Many of these docs are doing it as a significant part of a portfolio
of work, not as an "extra" and a few are full-time. In some areas I agree
the OOH service is run by the PCT with very little GP input or staffing and
maybe he is unfortunate enough to be in one of these areas.
As far as I can see Matt (or is it Adrian?) is characteristic of his
species - the angry and stressed of the hospital sector (whose specialists
make the same rude remarks about AE docs as they make about GPs) and it is
sad that he and his GP OOH organisation seem not to have a meeting of
minds. But cheer up! His Trust is making £53 - £75 for each of these
contacts and that helps hospitals in London keep going. Meanwhile practice
baseline funding is being cut in real terms by anything between 6% (for GMS
with no uplift) and 23% (for some PMS).
Finally, he should think himself lucky. Almost all GP practices continue to
deal with minor injuries despite the fact that PCTs have almost universally
not commissioned the service in general practice. If all these patients
were referred to A&E he would realise how much is done in general practice.
He is only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
I don't blame the man, how can he be expected to see what we see? Anyway I
work in London two days a week so put him in touch with me and I will go
round to tea in his dept and talk him to death.
Fay
</from Fay>
I have Fay's email address if wanted.
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