HSC??? (dealing with the remuneration of PCG Boards) was finally
released dated 28.11.98, and arrived in my practice via the HA courier
on 4.11.98. I hope everyone has received a copy by now.. if you haven't,
could you let me know? (still persuing the matter.. )
I suppose the release *could* be considered timely.. all of 3 days
before the PCG Boards have to be appointed and functioning .. and *only*
14 days after the "advance copy" distributed to Health Authority Chief
Executives.. with a covering letter saying they could distribute it to
anyone they thought appropriate.. because time was short...
Interesting that none of them appear to have thought GPs were
"appropriate" !;->
I wondered whether the delay was due to the need for last minute
changes, but I can only find two - the addition of Local Authority
Chairs and Chief Executives to the "for information" list (it's now
labelled as LAC (98) 26 as well as HSC 1998/190) *and* the removal of an
underlining from "significant" in para 7 (dealing with payments to PCG
Chairs):- "PCGs operating at level 2 will have these functions but will
also have agreed to take on significant commiioning responsibilities."
"significant" is not defined.
During this careful comparison, I noticed something I had overlooked
before - a reference to payment for clinical governance.
In Annex B, (examples of payments), the last 2 lines refer to Board
members at levels 2 and 1.
Level 2 - Board member(also responsible for clinical governance).
allowances UKP4000, Compensatory allowance up to a national ceiling of
UKP3000, Other payments "for local determination if undertaking project
work"
Level 1 - Board member(also leading a review of nurse prescribing)
Allowances UKP2700, the rest the same as level 2 - including the final
column, Total nationally set payments; *both levels* add up to UKP7000!
I'm beginning to wonder what the motivation will be in Board Members,
especially those involved in clinical governance.
The financial sacrifice, for both the individual and practice, would
seem to be considerable - and the degree of local power considerable.
Maybe I am paranoid: I wasn't elected to the local PCG Board (the ballot
for the 7th seat had to be re-run..;-<).
The Board has to appoint a Chair and a Clinical Governor.. and I can't
think of anyone on the local Board who seems an obvious candidate for
Clinical Governor - especially if the terms are, in fact, that it is
paid at the same rate as an ordinary Board member!
Does the ommission of clinical governance from the Level 1 remuneration
imply that at level 1 there won't be any clinical governance, or that
the pay structure for clinical governance will be different at levels 1
& 2 - and possibly levels 3 & 4?
Could any PCG Board members kepp the rest of us informed?
Mary
"All power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"
PS Have you noticed the new confusion?
Up to now, all HSCs dealing with PCGs have had "Primary Care Group"
included in the title - 190 has "PCG"
Mary Hawking Kingsbury Court Surgery Church Street Dunstable LU5 4RS
tel:01582 663218 (surgery)fax:01582 476488 (surgery)
Member of British Healthcare Internet Association
Dunstable and Houghton Regis Locality Commisssioning Pilot
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