GP contract deal fallout: prescribing incentives axed, patient participation DES and the great QOF points chase

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From: PulseToday Weekly

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Sent: 30 March 2011 18:16

sheila@...

Subject: GP contract deal fallout: prescribing incentives axed, patient

participation DES and the great QOF points chase

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Wednesday

30 March 2011

Dear Sheila ,

As

we come to the end of one financial year, and prepare to enter another,

practice finances are top of the to-do list for many GPs at the moment.

The fallout from this year's contract deal continues this week,

with PCTs and GPs still working through the repercussions of an agreement

which went down to the wire. Our investigation reveals two thirds of PCTs are set to bin their prescribing

incentive schemes after quality and productivity indicators for

prescribing were included in the QOF for the first time.

As

GPs grapple with a new Patient Participation DES,

our new Practice Business CPD module looks at

how practices can better engage with patients. And if you're worried by

accountants' forecasts that this year's deal will mean a 4% pay cut,

then turn to our Practice Calendar feature looking at new sources of

income for your practice.

If you're still got questions over what this year's contract

deal will mean for your practice, let us know here and we'll try to help

answer them as best we can.

Meanwhile

if you're still deep in the annual QOF points chase, then you may wish to

check out our series of QOF coding tips, as well as ten coding errors that could be costing you cash and

pitfalls to avoid in exception coding.

In

other news this week the Department of Health has pledged it will tighten

up revalidation procedures after criticism from MPs, a study has

found tiotropium cuts the risk of hospitalisation for COPD

patients by a third and there's been a call for GP practices to stay open for the Royal Wedding bank

holiday to help ease the pressure on hospitals.

We also reveal that the DH is poised to announce its fourth wave of GP pathfinder

consortia amid claims that it's 'almost job done' – but as I write in my blog, it's becoming

increasingly clear that just because GPs are in pathfinders it doesn't mean

they necessarily support commissioning.

Latest CPD modules cover generalised anxiety disorder and key questions on obesity, and don't forget

you can also earn credits through our range of forthcoming seminars, including our dermatology update and lower GI update.

And finally, at a time of continuing upheaval and uncertainty in general

practice, we're asking GPs whether they still enjoy their job, and how

optimistic they are about the future. Fill in our survey here and you could win

an Amazon Kindle worth £152.

Best wishes

Steve Nowottny

PulseToday Editor

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

>

'Someone

has unrealistic expectations. Work on a bank holiday for nothing? Not on

your nelly!'

NEWS HEADLINES

>

RCGP

launches urgent care toolkit

>

GPs

hit by coding change to Haelan tape

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PCTs

slam claims that private firms have been squeezed out

>

McKinsey:

GP consortia will have to save £1m a month

COMMENT & ANALYSIS

>

Copperfield:

May contain humour

>

Notes

from the Dark Side: We collude to be average

>

Through

the K Hole: 'Why does that spider have a human head?'

>

An

incalculable loss to our profession

CLINICAL & EDUCATION

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Patient

participation in your practice (1 CPD hour)

>

What's

new in men's heath? (1.5 CPD hours)

>

Basal

cell carcinoma vs sebaceous hyperplasia

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injection techniques: Bicipital tendonitis

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References

Date of preparation: January 2011

Code: TA101252

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