Bromley LMC newsletter – April 2025

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Covering: LMC elections, meeting with Gareth Bacon MP, synnovis and more

Bromley LMC – Newsletter April 2025

As Chair and Vice Chair of Bromley LMC, we are delighted to provide a brief introduction to this inaugural newsletter.

Over the years, we have seen changes and upheaval in the local healthcare landscape, but nothing like the funding and workload pressure over the last couple of years. It does feel that positive change needs to come, and it cannot come soon enough. This was discussed in further detail at the Special LMC Conference, held on 19 March, and further information is outlined below in the Collective Action / Safe Working section of the newsletter.

Bromley LMC is taking every opportunity to help commissioners and other local health, and social care partners understand the immense pressure general practice is under.

LMC members are eager to hear from you and the challenges you are facing. This will provide evidence that general practice needs more financial and organisational support, if it is to deliver type quality of care that it desperately wants to, and what our patients truly deserve.

We aim to send regular LMC newsletters every alternate month to Bromley practices so please do keep an eye out for these and provide any feedback regarding content to us so that we can ensure these are helpful for you.

The LMC is here to represent your views and ensure that the voice of general practice is heard loudly and clearly.

Bromley LMC committee members

  • Dr Bindra, Amrit – GMS Principal, Derry Downs Surgery
  • Dr Brander, Elizabeth – PMS Principal, Woodlands Practice
  • Dr Collins, Jonathan – Sessional, VTS Representative
  • Dr Chevlan, Rishi – PMS Principal, Highland Medical Practice
  • Dr Fatoyinbo, Christopher – GMS Principal, Links Medical Practice
  • Dr Hamid, Mariha – Freelance Sessional, VTS Representative
  • Dr Josty, Hannah – Freelance Sessional, LMC Vice-Chair
  • Dr Lasrado, Maya – GMS Principal, Broomwood Health Care Centre
  • Dr Mustapha, Adelaja – GMS Principal, Wickham Park Surgery
  • Dr Noori, Fadhil Maysa – PMS Salaried, Addington Road Surgery
  • Dr Tinson, Ruth – GMS Salaried, Wickham Park Surgery, LMC Chair

Currently one GP member, one Practice Manager and one Practice Nurse vacancies.

What is the LMC and what do we do?

The Local Medical Committee (LMC) is a body recognised in statute, made up of elected members from Bromley that works on your behalf with commissioners and other stakeholders at both local and SE London level to represent the interests of all GPs in Bromley.

The LMC meets regularly with the Integrated Care Board (ICB), Local Authority and broader system stakeholders and actively participates in negotiations on local General Practice contracts. We also contribute to national contract debates via engagement with the General Practitioners Committee (GPC) of the British Medical Association (BMA).

The LMC is here for ALL GPs and practice staff. We are supported by staff from Londonwide LMCs.

If you have any queries or questions, please contact the LMC via Aisha Riaz [email protected].

GP Support Team

Bromley practices can access confidential support and advice about practice specific issues via Londonwide LMCs GP Support Team [email protected]. For further information upon what the GP Support Team can help you with, please see this link.

Bromley LMC Updates

LMC Elections 2025

This spring is your opportunity to stand for Bromley LMC. Please watch our short animation explaining why should you stand for your local medical committee, which is part of our regularly updated elections page. You can also share the animation and a short message via WhatsApp.

If you would like to find out more about being a member, we are running two lunchtime awareness sessions on either Wednesday 7 or 21 May 2025 you can register for these via [email protected].

Nomination packs will be sent out via email at the end of April. If you do not receive regular emails from us, think your details need updating, or you know of any GPs who may not be receiving our updates, whether they are a partner, employed, locum, new entrant or a trainee GP, contact us on [email protected]. The minimum data we require for each GP is the area/borough of London you work in, the name of the practice(s) you are currently working at, your GMC number and a current email address. For more information on how we handle your data, please see our privacy notice.

After the election period, there are also appointed representative roles available for Practice Managers, Practice Nurses and VTS Trainees. These are non-voting positions but representation from all these groups on the LMC is highly valued to provide input from all General Practice colleagues.

General Practice Alert State (GPAS)

Londonwide LMCs has decided to pause GPAS while its impact is evaluated. Londonwide LMCs will be exploring ways of evolving GPAS to try and meet the objective of sharing pressures experience with the wider system.

Meeting with Mr Gareth Bacon MP

On 10 January, together with Dr Claire Riley, we met with Mr Gareth Bacon, MP for Orpington, at Green Street Green Medical Centre. We informed Mr Bacon of the significant on-the-ground pressures and challenges in General Practice. We discussed safe working, estates and IT, the impact of the National Insurance increase on practice finances and General Practice sustainability and financial vulnerability. We also highlighted the ongoing Primary Care/Secondary Care interface work being undertaken. Mr Bacon was very interested to hear about specific local challenges as well as national issues and has requested more detail following the meeting.

At the end of February, Liam Conlon, MP for Beckenham and Penge, reached out to Londonwide LMCs requesting a constituency visit to a GP surgery in the upcoming months. We are liaising with Mr Conlon’s office to arrange a date for this meeting.

Synnovis

On October 30 the SEL LMC Chairs and Vice Chairs sent a joint letter to Andrew Bland, ICB Chief Executive, on behalf of GPs in SEL. The letter outlined serious concerns relating to patient safety, clinical and information governance and the operational effectiveness of Synnovis. We received a response to this letter from SEL ICB and subsequently have written to the acute trusts, GSST and KCH. On 17 December, a letter was sent to Professor Ian Abbs, GSST Chief Executive, and Professor Clive Kay, KCH Chief Executive, which raised concerns with the GSTT and KCH contractual arrangements with Synnovis. We have received a response that confirms the management structure and governance of Synnovis.

The LMC is committed to raising any issues related to Synnovis in appropriate meetings. We will continue to ensure that the voice of Bromley General Practice is represented. We are aware that Synnovis has communicated that the ongoing T-Quest and EMIS interface solutions are resolved.

Please raise any additional concerns through Synnovis Customer Services as requested. Bromley LMC representatives and the Londonwide SEL Team continue to represent SEL GPs at several meetings related to Synnovis service provision.

GP Collective Action / Safe Working

At the LMC Special Conference held on 19 March, the GPCE focused on key aspects of the 2025/26 GP Contract and will work with the government on a substantive new contract that can provide safety and stability to general practice. GPCE recommends practices to continue to prioritise their delivery of safe, high-quality patient care and to work with LMCs and ICBS to renegotiate local contracts that are under resourced or are required to fill gaps in service for some of our most vulnerable patients.

The safe working model, as set out in the BMA’s Safe working guide, continues to be recommended by GPC England for practices to follow. Londonwide LMCs has produced a webinar that explores BMA safe working guidance, the requirements of the GP and hospital contracts, unpacks myths and provides thinking points to support practice discussions on their next steps to ensure high quality, safe care for their patients. The safe care in your practice webinar is linked here and there are further links to helpful resources referenced in the webinar.

The LMC is aware of the increasing inappropriate transfer of work from private providers to general practice. Londonwide LMCs has produced template letters which explain that a request should not be actioned in general practice and detail the appropriate setting for the request to be made. We advise and encourage colleagues to utilise these template letters.

The Primary-Secondary Care Interface

Primary Care Network Clinical Directors (PCN CDs) were key in setting up the interface task and finish group meetings which bring together PCN CDs, the LMC and consultants from the Princess Royal University Hospital. The group meets monthly and the LMC is engaged in that work including discussions on concerns raised by constituents.

Ongoing Bromley LMC activity

As part of Neighbourhood working, Bromley LMC is aware of the importance of increasing engagement with all stakeholders, particularly with the local authority and Public Health colleagues. Accordingly, Bromley Public Health will be providing regular updates at our LMC stakeholder meetings and informing us of issues that may impact General Practice. We will also be inviting Oxleas to attend the next formal LMC meeting to discuss their service and in particular, concerns relating to CAMHS.

Our next formal LMC meeting will take place on 28 May, and we would be happy to discuss or raise issues with stakeholders on your behalf. We are exploring if regular contact with a specific LMC member may be helpful for Practices and PCNs to get in touch with us. Please let us know your thoughts around this and share any issues in the meantime via [email protected].

Bromley LMC continues to be involved in a variety of meetings regarding discussions around Local Enhanced Services, such as the LARC and the new BCHIP services. As our role is to consider the impact of any changes to General Practice activity, in these meetings we highlight that any additional work outside of the core contract must be appropriately resourced.

London General Practice Awards

The 2025 London General Practice Awards were celebrated in the Houses of Parliament on 6 February. Bromleag Care Practice was a commended winner in the Safety category. The full roster of winners and commended nominations, with photos and report, is available here.

Academic Half Days

We are pleased to let you know that Bromley LMC will have a dedicated station at the Academic Half Day on 8th May 2025 in Bickley Manor. We look forward to seeing you in person, so please do come and say hello. Bromley LMC has secured a (virtual) space on the Academic Half Day agenda on 15th July, where we will briefly explain the role of Bromley LMC and how we represent our General Practice colleagues.

Workforce Innovation and Innovation (WTI)

Londonwide’s Workforce-Training and Innovation (WTI) directorate provides key training courses for GPs and their practice team. Here is a list of upcoming taught days & courses:

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