By Laura Passi
LMC leaders have voted to oppose Government plans to abolish deaneries and put GP consortia in charge of education and training.
Delegates at the LMCs conference in central London voted that the GPC should campaign to protect the current deanery model, insisting that education and training 'must be provided by central funding'.
Dr Andrew Taylor, proposing the motion, said: 'Deaneries have great skills and knowledge in doing what deaneries do. Why destroy them to create something to take over their function and risk what we already have?
'Have we learnt nothing from the lessons of JCPTGP [Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice] and the ensuing difficulties?'
Dr Michelle Drage, chief executive of Londonwide LMCs, jokingly suggested that one part of the motion should be rejected as it was not strongly worded enough in its opposition to the abolition of deaneries.
She said: ‘It doesn't say it loud enough, does it? It "asks" the GPC - this isn't good enough, seriously. The message needs to go loud and clear, right now, that we must not let this happen.'
Dr Terry John, chair of the GPC's education, training and workforce subcommittee, added: ‘I think what Michelle is trying to say is that we need to put some more muscle into this proposal, and I assure her that we in the sub committee will actually add some vitality to it.'
A motion calling for local deaneries 'to be independent from local GP commissioning consortia' was also passed.
Delegates voted to oppose the abolition of deaneries Delegates voted to oppose the abolition of deaneries Click here for more from the LMCs Conference LMC
