Welcome to our monthly update on the key issues affecting GPs and practice teams in London.
Main updates
GP reimbursement scheme changes
Locums are now covered by the scheme, some other new flexibilities have been introduced and changes made to how reimbursement is claimed. GPs providing additional sessions via the scheme can now work up to nine sessions per week in total. Practices should submit claims via CQRS local, which should be configured nationally with ICB teams being responsible for onboarding their practices.
Use of AI in patient complaints
This guidance covers how to respond to over-length patient complaints written via AI, including contractual and regulatory requirements. It also provides template wording to share with patients who may be considering using AI in a complaint and suggests how practices can make appropriate use of AI in drafting their responses.
Updated vexatious complaints guidance
How to recognise a potentially vexatious complainant and the principles you should apply when managing the complaints they are raising. It is important to be able to identify where a practice still has an obligation to investigate a point being raised and where it is appropriate to push back against vexatious behaviour. The importance of having a comprehensive written record of what the practice has said in response is covered, as are suggestions on wording and tone.
FP69 list cleanse update
We have continued to raise the issues affecting London practices, including meeting with MPs, briefing journalists, speaking to the voluntary sector and gathering first-hand details from some of the hardest hit practices. Our most recent analysis of NHS data shows that London has lost over 315,000 registered patients between January and September.
If your practice has not recently updated us on how FP69 is impacting you please do so via this form or email us. To make the case for a change of approach we need individual figures and insights, alongside official statistics.
NHS Gender National Referral Support Service (GNRSS)
The NHS is moving to a single, national service to manage adult referrals to gender services. This can be accessed via a referral portal or through a form in EMIS, SystmOne or DXS. Patients will be placed on a national waiting list and asked about their preferred clinic as they approach the top of the list. The service advise that the waiting list is expected to run into several years, with a further six month wait for a first appointment once transferred from the list to a clinic.
Health questions in Parliament – October 2026
London MP Fleur Anderson asked about the impact of list cleanses and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt asked about GP continuity of care. Rachel Blake, another London MP, asked about supplies of a specialist medicine whose manufacturer had been recently declared bankrupt.
MPs take evidence on ADHD from independent report authors
On 14 October, the Health and Social Care Committee and Education Committee held an evidence session with Professors Peter Fonagy and Gillian Baird, Chair and Vice-Chair of the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The session focused on proposals to move towards a needs-led approach, improve support before diagnosis, and better integrate mental health, ADHD and autism services.
GPC England key updates
- GPC newsletter.
- Out of hours salaried model contract.
- Out of hours locum model contract.
- Pay parity for consultants and GPs.
- Response to 2.4% pay offer for 2027/28
Guidance
- Elective SPOA technical guidance and implementation considerations.
- Unauthorised, inappropriate and unjustifiable access to confidential patient information.
- MMRV guidance for pregnant women.
- Get Online Week – NHS App resources.
- DWP reports guidance.
- Supporting vaccination of people experiencing homelessness.
- Vaccination of people with uncertain or incomplete immunisation.
- Sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing in prisons.
- PCSE newsletter.
Calendar
October
- 28 – Chancellor’s Budget
November
- 4 – Primary care cyber security webinar part A
- 20 – Conference of England LMCs
- 24 – Primary care cyber security webinar part B
- 27 – NHS general practice staff survey closes
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 7 October GPonline, Management in Practice and Healthcare Leader covered concerns raised by LMCs about WNL ICB’s decision to allocate all winter funding to trusts.
- On 2 October Doctors.net quoted Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, our CEO, in their coverage of FP69 patient list removals.
- On 28 September, Pulse quote Dr Tamara Hibbert, Chair of Newham LMC, in their coverage of LMC calls for fairer funding of ADHD shared care.
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.
Get new deals with the Londonwide LMCs Buying Group
Our Buying Group suppliers not only offer great deals to practices looking to switch, they also aim to offer the best value to existing customers in the Londonwide LMCs area, including explaining new products and features as they get rolled out.
Our Buying Group suppliers are:
- X-on Health – Automates more tasks within your phone system, integrates with clinical records, seamlessly bridges in and out-of-hours and offers ambient scribe technology.
- 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. Now with a new pay per appointment booked, subscription-free option.
- 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.
- 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!
- Hillcroft Surgery Supplies – Get next day delivery and industry leading stock availability, thanks to their investment in substantial warehouse facilities.