Have I missed the discussion on the GP-UK list and in the GP 'Comics' about
the threat to our income in GP from the present White Paper. I have seen
little about the 30% of GMS which will be thrown into the 'common pot' and
will be at risk if the groups underspend. Isn't it time that we make a stand
to protect our income as GPs ....... or am I over-reacting?? Unfortunately, I
think not, and hope that GPs nationally will become vocal about this , instead
of accepting that labour have such a large majority that anything goes?
Previously I mentioned about surgeries based at Tesco and Sainsburys plc -
with practices in towns amalgamating, but nobody took me up on this. If your
money is thrown into a common pot and you've overspent on
prescribing/referrals, then the only course to protect your income, will be to
reduce overheads - i.e amalgamating practices into one centre - with shared
premises, staff and computers. You won't be forced directly out of your own
premises, with your own staff ............ but if you've got to pay the
mortage at home, then you'll have little choice in the matter. With premises
supplied by the supermarkets (in return for the pharmacy side) the government
will save substantial amounts of money. Guess who'll be blamed by the patients
for all of this?? They'll be saying that we did for day care what we did with
OOH - amalgamated to suit our own purposes - little will we know.
Any journalists from PULSE or GP 'tuning in' wish to take this up and get
things onto their front pages? What do the rest of you think - over-reaction
or not?? Somebody give me a prod and say I'm just having a nightmare
.............. please! If anyone from PULSE or GP is 'tuning in', then I'm not
politically astute enough to answer your questions, but no doubt many more on
this list are - I'm just concerned about what may happen extrapolating forward
for the next 5-10 years.
Paul Bromley
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