Living with Covid and GP finance update Feb 2022

Contact us and share your opinionJoin Andy and Gandhi for the latest news in technology-enhanced primary care and learning.Live Episode- GP News Catch UpWelcome… So much been going on in the worldGP stories that caught our eye…Living with COVIDGP FinancesHow are you?COVID-19 RESPONSE: LIVING WITH COVID-19 Changes at a glance P22https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-living-with-covid-19 GPs express concern about practice infection control under ‘Living with Covid’ planhttps://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 changesNHS staff ‘excluded’ from free COVID-19 testing from AprilPrimary 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/1747656Vulnerable patients to receive additional Covid boosters in spring and autumnhttps://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; andindividuals 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 GPshttps://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/practice-personal-finance/government-suggests-2-pay-uplift-for-salaried-gps/Gov. talking of post COVID financial restraintGeneral NHS pay increase of 2%Inflation 5.5%???Real-terms GP income far below level a decade ago and set for further dropEvidence 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 showThe 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 studyhttps://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/contract/250m-a-year-gp-extended-access-scheme-had-no-measurable-impact-finds-study/ 2016 schemeLed 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 admissionsHelps some demographics more than othersJavid says GP access getting ‘back to normal’ on England tourhttps://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.