Living with Covid and GP finance update Feb 2022

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Live Episode- GP News Catch Up

Welcome… So much been going on in the world
GP stories that caught our eye…
Living with COVID
GP Finances

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COVID-19 RESPONSE: LIVING WITH COVID-19 Changes at a glance P22
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-living-with-covid-19 
GPs express concern about practice infection control under ‘Living with Covid’ plan
https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/coronavirus/gps-express-concern-about-practice-infection-control-under-living-with-covid-plan 
NHS England told Pulse that continued Covid testing for GPs and practice staff is being reviewed, and will be updated before 1 April.

IPC guidance no changes

NHS staff ‘excluded’ from free COVID-19 testing from April
Primary care leaders have demanded ‘urgent clarity’ around free COVID-19 testing for NHS staff after the government suggested it would end from April.

https://www.gponline.com/nhs-staff-excluded-free-covid-19-testing-april/article/1747656

Vulnerable patients to receive additional Covid boosters in spring and autumn
https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/coronavirus/vulnerable-patients-to-receive-additional-covid-boosters-in-spring-and-autumn 

The JCVI has also advised UK governments that a further booster is likely to be advised ‘for people who are at higher risk of severe’ Covid this autumn, with more definitive advice to come ‘in due course’.
adults aged 75 years and over, residents in a care home for older adults; and
individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in in the Covid-19 healthcare guidance Green Book.

Government suggests 2% pay uplift for salaried GPs
https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/practice-personal-finance/government-suggests-2-pay-uplift-for-salaried-gps/

Gov. talking of post COVID financial restraint
General NHS pay increase of 2%
Inflation 5.5%???

Real-terms GP income far below level a decade ago and set for further drop
Evidence from the DHSC to the Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB), which advises the government on pay, shows that average GP partner income in 2019/20 was £121,800 - down 15% in real terms compared with 2006/7.
Salaried GP pay at £63,600 in 2019/20 is down 8.5% in real terms over the same period, figures quoted in the DHSC evidence show
The call for pay rises for salaried GPs and other practice staff to be limited to 2% comes despite the government backing a 3% rise last year that exceeded the level awarded through the five-year deal, leaving practices with huge unfunded rises in staff costs.

https://www.gponline.com/real-terms-gp-income-far-below-level-decade-ago-set-further-drop/article/1747964



£250m-a-year GP extended access scheme had ‘no measurable impact’, finds study
https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/contract/250m-a-year-gp-extended-access-scheme-had-no-measurable-impact-finds-study/ 

2016 scheme
Led by the University of Manchester, the study also reported no notable impact on continuity of care or overall patient satisfaction with general practice.
Has been evidence to suggest reduced ED admissions
Helps some demographics more than others



Javid says GP access getting ‘back to normal’ on England tour
https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/politics/javid-says-gp-access-getting-back-to-normal-on-england-tour 
‘But now, since we’re past the worst of that, services are getting back to normal.’
Announcing the week-long trip, Mr Javid said he plans to visit GPs to ‘personally thank them’ for pandemic sacrifices.