Mark Howson
GPs facing up to £50k in pensions tax bills as advisers report 'sharp rise' in demand
My annual allowance tax bill is £200,000 My only option is to ask it to be taken off my pension pot as I only earn 60k this year and so in no position to pay such a bill immediately.
GPs more likely to work 10-hour shifts at larger practices
A full time teacher averages 24 contact hours with pupils. But still work 10 hour days. In France a full time teacher has 18 hours contact with pupils.
Sessions seeing patients is not a measure of part time or full time. It is hours worked.15% increase in patients waiting a month for a GP appointment
Still far better than waiting list times for secondary care.. don’t forget that.
Practices still facing ‘extortionate’ premises costs despite negotiations
Just pay what you historically paid and no more. Do not sign a lease without considerable thought. NHSPS is poorly run and incompetent and likely to disappear.
GP at Hand set to apply to be single network in 'destabilising' move
The issue is equity of access and bad discriminatory practice. The principle of the NHS is equity. Babylon does not provide equity of access and so is currently not working within the NHS ethos. Video consults themselves are a good idea as they are better and safer than a phone call.
Treasury is ignoring doctors' concerns over pensions tax charges, says BMA
Drawn pension, left partnership, signed contract for 18 months in Australia xxx
GPs being funded to target 'frequent attenders' in bid to reduce workload
Be careful with tiny charges. Sometimes it makes the person feel they can use the service more and demand easier access as they have paid.
Removing pensions benefits is criminally stupid
What worries me is a breakdown in the social contract. Once the government brings in unjust rules people take things into their own hands to achieve a sense of justice. I think what has happened with NHS pensions- dramatic increase in costs, increase in clawback taxes and now this has pushed it to the edge.
Health secretary given right to suspend GPs' pensions before conviction
I don’t see why you lose something you have paid for even if you did commit a crime. In these circumstances are you allowed to claim back all the contributions that have been made to the exchequer. I also thought punishment was the responsibility of the court not the employer. Is this for serious crimes or does it include parking offences....
Homeopathy prescribing set to be blacklisted under NHS England plans
About time. I always thought anyone prescribing homeopathy should be stripped of their licence if they didn't realise the stupidity of their position after retraining. Quackery does our profession a disservice.
GP gender pay gap 'far higher' than average at 33%, finds Government review
There is no gap in pay between men and women for the same job. This has been illegal since the 70’s and I don’t see it in our profession. The gender pay gap is a result of personal choices people make in what they do and how they work. The problem in fixing it is that it will involve manipulating people to make different choices - overtly possibly but more likely through subtle manipulative nudges.
Digital GP consultations make spotting signs of sepsis 'a challenge', says PHE
The digital consult which of which a telephone consult is a subset is only ever a triage tool. Any patient who sounds or looks Ill will need seeing.
NHSE needs to understand that, while a FaceTime like consult is safer than a telephone call, the overall effect of adding more and easier modes of consultation access will be to drive up demand and ultimately drive up costs.
There will come a time where you are forced to have a two tier system of charging for ease of access or the system will collapse.GPs asked to provide Brexit plan and practice lead in case of no-deal
@Christopher Ho Edward Heath took us into the EEC in 1972. The Labour Party at the time just like Jeremy was anti EEC
GPs in their 30s 'being told to cut clinical hours' to avoid pension charges
I think you can leave the pension for several months a year to reduce your risk with the annual allowance. Seem a stupid solution and I think the government should scrap the annual allowance concept. It is a reason for not taking a pay rise in a better job or for working more. All part of austerity and making sure the bankers and mega-rich are looked after. Come the revolution I know who will the be first against the wall.
NHS England 'reviewing and rebooting' appraisal and revalidation process
I also agree the proliferation of mandatory courses/tests is getting out of hand. It goes up every year and most are pointless or a joke. I can see BLS and safeguarding but diversity and data security etc seem pointless. I am sure we all skip through the reading and do the inane test at the end and get 80% first time. Perhaps make them all so you can just go straight to the test and tick the box.
NHS England 'reviewing and rebooting' appraisal and revalidation process
A simple change is make appraisal every three years and revalidation every 10 years. As well as cut what needs recording. There is nothing special about the period it takes for the Earth to go around the Sun when it comes to appraisals.
Council's drastic public health cuts will leave GPs 'unable to cope'
Not part of GMS contract any more. It is responsibility of council. So not your problem. Direct patient to Council.
I’m sick of being the fall guy
Freely prescribing otc meds and homeopathy will just make a rod for your own back as people keep coming back for more. It is similar to the more access you provide the more demand you generate. So the more free medicine you provide the more no-need demand you generate.
Government overprescribing review aims for GPs to challenge hospital decisions
One problem is hospital doctors prescribe common drugs with no idea of the cost. An example is liquid nitrofurantoin in paeds. When the cost was pointed out the consultant happily agreed to change with an expression of shock at the cost compared to capsules. They need the say computer system we have....
We can always decline expensive meds and ask they do it themselves from their budget.Labour Party complains to Prime Minister about Matt Hancock’s Babylon links
You can also complain about him through IPSA at info@theipsa.org.uk
The more the better.
