GP leaders have slammed plans to transfer ‘massive amounts’ of secondary care work into general practice without proper support to resolve the ‘catastrophic crisis’ facing the profession.
LMC leaders in Birmingham have accused local NHS bosses of planning ‘far reaching changes’ to general practice in the city without properly consulting GP provider representatives.
A document obtained by Birmingham LMC revealed draft plans for general practice in the city being developed as part of the sustainability and transformation plan (STP) for Birmingham and Solihull.
The proposals include new seven-day primary care hubs that would serve populations of 40,000 to 100,000 and provide specialist outpatient appointments; virtual beds supporting patients discharged earlier from hospital, primary care appointments available within 24 hours and seven-day GP appointments.
The STP proposals revealed that local NHS leaders expect to resolve financial problems by shifting activity out of hospital.
Birmingham LMC secretary Dr Robert Morley, who also chairs the GPC contracts subcommittee, told local GPs the STP was ‘proposing fundamental and far reaching changes in the way general practice is delivered’.
‘There has been no consultation with the LMC, nor to my knowledge with any representatives of GPs or practices as providers,’ he said.
Full story in GPonline, 18 August 2016