I sent this today to the director of primary care at my health
authority.
Thought you might like to see it :-)
Moving on and what I intend to do comes in a separate e-mail.
Ahmad
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Dear
Subject: Primary Care Groups
Thank you for your letter of 15 September informing me of the
configuration of the East Surrey PCG.
I presume that your reference to my Practice falling within East Surrey
PCG means that I am now formally 'allocated' to the Group against my
explicit wish.
I succeeded to the single handed Practice in Reigate in February 1992.
At that time, the Practice was in a 2 up/2 down hovel that lacked basic
facilities. It took 8 of us a whole weekend to clean the place up;
when we finished, we discovered that the toilet was white!
More importantly, the Practice was dying on its feet. Its List was
dwindling, it offered the minimum of services, had no management
procedures and non existent patient services for maternity, family
planning, childhood immunisation, cervical cytology, health promotion
chronic disease management clinics.
This is the track record of the Practice since then:
* Within two weeks, the Practice had:
- Computerised clinical information management system
- Comprehensive management and organisation protocols
- Complete overhaul of the physical environment pending relocation
- Work begun on establishing a modern GP Practice of the highest
quality
* Within two years:
- I financed, managed and built an award winning Surgery premises
- The Practice population increased from 1400 to 2700 patients
- Introduced the whole range of enhanced patient services, including
complementary medicine
- Achieved all higher targets for cytology, child immunisation and
health promotion from a base of zero
- Established a complete range of chronic disease management and minor
surgery clinics
- Modernised the clinical information system to a state of the art
product
- Underspent the drug prescribing budget by at least 20% year on year
and maintained at least 60% generic prescribing rates
- Served with integrity on the LMC and helped shape the new PCA and the
unification of the FSHA and the DHA
This massive development has taken a great deal of dedication by the
whole Practice team, considerable effort and goodwill and substantial
personal financial burden. That financial burden has put me at risk
and made me vulnerable. However, that risk was taken primarily in the
interest of my patients despite lack of financial support from the
Health Authority and in the face of what seems like a differential
policy on premises development support.
My patients remain appreciative and their feedback and encouragement
have always astonished me by their warmth and generosity.
In short, this Practice has delivered.
Therefore, I reiterate what I have stated in the past:
Forcing me into a shotgun membership of a PCG is morally and ethically
wrong.
It is also not in the best interest of the patients whom I serve.
I cannot accept your decision to causally make my Practice 'fall'
within a PCG.
I, therefore, wish to terminate my Contract with the Health Authority
to provide general medical services with immediate effect.
In the best interest of my patients, and in order to re-build my life,
I shall be on leave for the 3 months notice period. Meanwhile, I shall
ensure that services to patients are maintained at their usual high
standard by employing a locum GP whom the patients know and respect.
I have enjoyed the challenge of fast forwarding the Practice in Prices
Lane to the 20th century. I am now at peace in the knowledge that the
Practice is ready for the 21st century under a different command.
Yours sincerely
Ahmad Risk
Cc:
Rt Hon Frank Dobson MP
Dr Terry Conaty
GP-UK
Doctors for Indpendence
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Dr Ahmad Risk
http://mednetics.org
home: +44 1273 748198
work: +44 1737 240022
fax: +44 1737 244660
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