Welcome to our monthly update on the key issues affecting GPs and practice teams in London.
Main updates
Raising practice concerns about list cleanse changes and large scale de-registrations
On 10 July NHS England wrote to practices to say it is their view that the de-registrations are largely appropriate and the new FP69 process behind them is robust. On 17 July, the Independent published an article based on data analysis and interviewees provided by Londonwide LMCs, including several examples of inappropriately de-registered patients. To continue raising this issue we need more examples, which you can provide via the impact form below.
Londonwide LMCs has also:
- written to the two London MPs on Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee,
- written to over a dozen third-sector organisations who represent patient groups,
- supported LMCs with the most affected practices and boroughs to write to the relevant MPs, and
- produced template letters for individual practices to send their own MPs, including inviting them to a Londonwide LMCs briefing on 6 August.
You can read more about this in the representation and advocacy section of our list cleansing guidance.
Immunisations update
We have recently added information to our guidance covering:
- Expanded respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) eligibility
- 2026/27 seasonal flu campaign
- 2026/27 seasonal COVID campaign
- Time limited MenB vaccinations available to university age patients via pharmacies
The NHS has also announced that the pneumococcal vaccination will be available to homeless people from October. This follows an earlier announcement that they are also eligible for flu jabs.
GPC England key updates
- GPC England newsletter
- Action on shared care – responsibilities for new patients in general practice
- Guidance for LMCs: right to choose and shared care
- How to take part in Collective Action
- Future of general practice campaign
Yvette Cooper appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Ms Cooper joins new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s cabinet replacing James Murray. Primary Care Minister Stephen Kinnock has moved to be Secretary of State for Wales and his successor is yet to be announced. This is the first time the current Government has not had a London MP heading up the DHSC.
Ms Cooper has a background in economics and held a number of roles in the previous Labour Government, including two years at the Treasury and three years at the Department of Health. In the current Government she has been both Home and Foreign Secretaries. During her brief spells as a backbench MP Ms Cooper has shown an interest in women’s and refugee rights.
National Document Repository (NDR)
Many practices are still not familiar with the NDR and the free features it provides for managing digitised patient records. The NDR’s “access and store digital patient documents” service is free to use and has features to help your practice remove the need to manage paper records at registration and deduction.
Changes to employment law
From 1 January 2027 the Employment Rights Act 2025 will significantly expand unfair dismissal protections, including reducing the qualifying period from two years to six months and removing the statutory cap on unfair dismissal compensation.
As employers, GP practices should ensure they are aware of the changes and seek specialist HR or employment law advice where appropriate.
ACAS has provided a summary of the changes, under the heading January 2027. If any guidance is issued by the BMA on these national legislative changes, we will circulate this to practices.
Please note that the LMC is not in a position to provide HR or employment law advice.
The team from Balham Park Surgery and judge Ben Coleman MP.
MPs call for Government to stand up to food industry to reduce obesity
Parliament’s cross-party Health and Social Care Committee has said more needs to be done to address the ‘obesogenic environment’ that has been created in society. Recommendations include changing how nutritional content is labelled and restrictions on supermarket promotions for unhealthy foods.
Spotlight: Balham Park Surgery – Winner of the London General Practice Patient Group Award
Recognised for their work on digital access and patient experience, Balham Park Surgery’s PPG supports a collaborative approach to care. Patient group Chair, Caroline Wentzel and member, Carol Holloway, spoke to us about their work. The award was given at Londonwide LMCs 2026 London General Practice Awards.
Guidance
- NHS England letter: Preventing unlawful access to patient records
- NHS Digital: Stopping unlawful access to records guidance for health and care professionals
- Winter planning 2026/27 – expectations and assurance
- UKHSA updates heat health alerts across England
- Acas advice on Government change to qualifying period of employment for the right to claim unfair dismissal, effective January 2027
Calendar
July
August
- 8 – Londonwide LMCs MP briefing on FP69
- 11 – National Data Repository webinar
- 27 – National Data Repository webinar
September
- 8 – National Data Repository webinar
- 10 – NHS neighbourhood provider contract consultation closes
- 10 – Group coaching circle 2 starts
- 23 – Contraception update
- 24 – National Data Repository webinar
Londonwide LMCs jobs board
Our jobs board is free to use and allows practices to post roles they are looking to fill and for individuals to advertise their availability for work.
See available roles
Media and public affairs round-up
- On 17 July Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, our CEO, and two LMC members were quoted in the Independent’s coverage of patient de-registrations.
- On 9 July Pulse covered LMC efforts to resolve problems arising from ICB changes to MSK referrals in North East London, quoting Dr Asad Ashraf, Chair of Waltham Forest LMC.
- On 26 June, Pulse covered Haringey LMC’s call for practices to report instances of advice and guidance response times not being met, encouraging use of the new single GP alert and feedback form for North Central London.
We continue to promote the interests of London GPs and practice staff on X (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn. If you have an example of general practice doing something well which could make a news story please get in touch. We also support practices that are approached with media requests. You can find details here.
Well done to the prize draw winners from our Buying Group survey!
Thank you to everyone that took part in our Buying Group survey, we plan to run another one in the autumn. The randomly selected winners of the gift vouchers were:
- Trudy Do, Havergal Surgery
- Karen Tobin, The Bromley Common Practice
- Anca Radulescu, St. Margarets Medical Practice
- Marian Negoita, Amersham Vale Practice
- Aparna Pal, Jubilee Garden Medical Centre
Our Buying Group suppliers are:
- Hillcroft Surgery Supplies – Get next day delivery and industry leading stock availability, thanks to their investment in substantial warehouse facilities.
- Practice Index – Pick and choose what you need out of their learning platform, or software to manage HR, finance, compliance and rotas.
- Hippo Labs – Have your call-and-recall work smarter, reach more patients and improve QOF attainment. Hippo Labs automatically customises many types of message.
- Equity Energies – Reduce energy costs, save time, become greener and remove the administrative burden of managing utilities by having experts do it all for you.
- Surgery Connect – Automates more tasks within your phone system, integrates with clinical records and seamlessly bridges in and out-of-hours.
- MIAB – You existing policies may have more gaps than you think, particularly in developing areas like cyber and ARRS employment. Rely on MIAB’s specialist expertise to ensure you are fully covered.
- Restore Information Management – Whether you need a room full of records doing or a steady flow of new registrations, Restore take the hassle out of digitising patient records.
- Tickets for Good – Reward yourself and your colleagues with free and discounted tickets to concerts, theatre shows, sports and more!