Londonwide LMCs

Dear colleague,

We are pleased to present our latest newsletter, which highlights the recent work and collaborative efforts between Brent LMC and Londonwide LMCs along with other local stakeholders. Following LMC elections this summer, Brent LMC started a new three-year term of office on 1 September 2025, please do make yourselves familiar with your local representatives which can be found here:

Brent LMC Membership and Contact info

What we do
We are here to support practices and to represent the interests of all local GPs and their practice teams, and one of our key priorities is that we hear the issues and concerns that matter to our local GPs and practices to influence our work. We recognise that this is a two way conversation and we will be embarking on a more personal practice/ constituency engagement to hear and listen to your concerns about the pressures GPs and practices are facing, but we also need you to reach out to us with any issues or concerns by emailing Amy Honor, Committee Liaison Executive amy.honor@lmc.org.uk.

What has Brent LMC been working on recently?

Community services – change in contract
The LMC are aware of a number of concerns over the recent changes to the specifications for community care and the issues these are creating. The committee have discussed a number of concerns including rejection of referrals and the district nurse team refusing to change catheters. Brent LMC will be looking at the gaps that these changes have created and highlighting commissioning gaps and care failings.

Cardiovascular Renal and Metabolic (CRM) service
NWL ICB are intending to include CRM service to the Single Offer Enhanced Services contract for 26/27 following the work Harrow has been doing. The aim would be to simplify and unify existing service specifications within the current Single Offer. The LMC are attending multiple pan NWL meeting to discuss this service and the proposed specification as it does differ to the current service on offer in Harrow. The LMC and LLMCs will continue to engage in these conversations and will share updates once available. Brent LMC discussed this service at its November with members being particularly concerned for the implications this may have for Brent.

Primary/secondary care interface
Following recent Interface meeting’s NWL Trusts have committed to a timeline of 4 weeks to create a centralised web page with ward and outpatient contact details for patients, to be linked/referenced in Trust correspondence. Concurrently, Trust clinicians are being asked to provide bespoke contact information. This work will be supported by audit tools. This is something we have been pushing for, for a long time. Radiology Improvement Forum – There is a new Radiology Improvement Forum having been set up to act as a working group with the aim to work together across diagnostic radiology, Primary Care, Community Care and Secondary Care looking at Systems and processes, quality and pathway improvement. Brent is represented at this forum by one of the LMC members so please do share with amy.honor@lmc.org.uk any items you would like raising.

Quick wins for GPs to reduce SMS messaging
Brent LMC are aware some practices are getting close to the capped funded amount per patient for sending SMS’s which may have an impact on practice finances. A quick win to reduce costs is below:

To provide an email address if you do not have one on file: sending via email is free and may be preferred for sending attachments or for less digital patients.
To download the NHS App and turn ON the notification setting for the app. If a message is not read within the NHS App it will revert to being sent as an SMS text after 24 hours.

Before you send an SMS:

Check patients’ numbers – an SMS sent to the wrong number is still charged.
If you have practice or personal templates you use a lot, make them fragment-efficient and with shortened links – check your top templates with your SMS supplier.

More website and communication tips can be found here.

NWL LMC Updates
Pan NWL updates can be found in the monthly updates. Here is the latest.

LMC Engagement – What is the best way to contact you?
Brent LMC is currently looking at how it engages with our colleagues in general practice across Brent, and we would be grateful if you would let us know the most efficient way(s) of reaching you. We are open to any method of communication and would appreciate your feedback regarding the methods we could adopt. These could include (but are not limited to):

Local Newsletters
Social media
Local Practice visits
Attending meetings/events
Clinical group meetings
PCN CD meetings
PM forums
Email alerts
All/some of the above

In addition to the above we would be grateful if you could let us know how regularly you wish to be updated, we are aware that practices receive multiple communications throughout your working week, so we do not wish to over burden you, but are keen to keep you as up to date as possible with the work that the LMC is carrying out on your behalf. If you want to provide feedback regarding the above questions, please contact amy.honor@lmc.org.uk and we will feed this into our comms plan, in order to enhance engagement with our constituents.

GP Support Team
The GP Support team provides expert, confidential and bespoke advice and support to individual constituent GPs and practices in difficulties. – Contact: GPSupport@lmc.org.uk.

Resources

Events and training

Refreshed Londonwide LMCs Buying Group

Our substantially updated Buying Group offer is now live, bringing high quality products, service, opportunities and offers to London general practice at the best prices and with the best possible deals.

The offer now includes a supplier for each of these areas: consumables, insurance, training and practice support and wellbeing (including free and discounted tickets to music, theatre and sports events). In addition, we have four suppliers for digital and tech services covering: cloud telephony, records digitisation and call-and-recall automation.

Access deals

Get in touch!

All constituents can raise any issues of concern with the LMC at any time and thank you to those that have been in touch since the last newsletter. We rely on you to know where support is needed and are grateful for your queries. Please do reach out to an LMC member or Amy. We are keen to hear from our local GPs and practice teams about any issues you are facing. We are here to represent your views. Please feel free to contact amy.honor@lmc.org.uk.

Yours Faithfully,

Dr Mike Edbury
Chair, Brent LMC

Londonwide LMCs NWL team

Amy Honor – Committee Liaison Executive, amy.honor@lmc.org.uk
Dr Asiya Yunus – LMC Secretary/Medical Director
Jamie Wright – Director of Primary Care
Lesley Williams – Assistant Director of Primary Care

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