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GPs ‘left to figure out’ where Covid vaccine payments have gone

GPs ‘left to figure out’ where Covid vaccine payments have gone

Primary Care Networks in South West London have been left to work out who should be paid what for Covid vaccinations, after NHS England made the payments out to the wrong GP practices in several instances. 

Under the Covid vaccination enhanced service, a lead practice site should receive payments of £12.58 for each dose delivered

But Richmond GP Alliance chair Dr Nick Grundy said NHS England has been sending the payment to the wrong practices over the last month, ‘often’ to practices where the PCN clinical directors are based.

PCNs in the Richmond area have also experienced issues with retrieving additional clinical director salaries, with the money looped in with vaccine payments to designated sites, where the clinical director does not always work, he added.

Dr Grundy said: ‘It has just been a disaster, and no one really knows what money is coming in, where or how.’ 

He added that the local CCG has spoken to NHS England on behalf of the PCNs.

‘We just have to go and figure out where the money has gone, and move it around by asking the practice to pay us what they have in their bank accounts. Luckily, we have a good relationship with them,’ he added. 

Dr Grundy said: ‘On the vaccine payments, several PCNs had payments made to the wrong practice. 

‘Those nominations have sometimes been ignored, often in favour of the practice that the clinical director of the PCN works at, even though that’s not the lead practice.’

In his own PCN, ‘most’ of the payments went to the wrong site, he added.

Last month, Pulse reported that GPs across England were experiencing problems with the Covid vaccination payment system, which potentially caused thousands of pounds worth of fees as well as unnecessary paperwork.

Pulse has approached NHS England for comment.


          

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