A massive list cleansing exercise across England and Wales has removed almost 95,000 ghost patients from GP lists.

A massive list cleansing exercise across England and Wales has removed almost 95,000 ghost patients from GP lists.

GP systems provider TPP has ‘postponed’ its controversial policy of offering GPs incentives, including Mark and Spencers vouchers and ‘Tea at the Ritz’, in return for hosting demonstrations of its SystmOne software.

RCGP chair Dr Clare Gerada has accused Prime Minister David Cameron of ‘shooting the messenger’, after GP leaders who are critical of the Government’s NHS reforms were excluded from a Downing Street summit today.

The normally sedate process of electing the RCGP´s next president has erupted into controversy within days of nominations opening, with a leading candidate being forced to apologise to the incumbent.

The US drugs regulator has advised patients to contact their GP if they take proton-pump inhibitors and develop diarrhoea that does not improve.

NICE guidance on hypertension is too expensive to implement, and is prompting practices to encourage patients to buy their own blood pressure monitors to use at home, cardiology expert has claimed.

Exclusive GP commissioners are putting pressure on practices to reconsider acting as advocates for patients appealing Continuing Care funding decisions, as clinical commissioning groups struggle to bring overspends under control.

Senior GP commissioners – including one in health secretary Andrew Lansley’s own constituency - have opened fire on the Government’s ill-feted health bill, claiming the reforms will ‘wreck the NHS’.