Dear colleague,
Over the next few months, we are looking to enhance our engagement with Sutton constituents, so we are receptive and delivering to the needs of Sutton practices. Your feedback is important to us to get this right. Please see further down for more details on how we are looking to enhance our engagement with you.
We are also sharing some of the LMC work across Sutton in this newsletter.
Dr Vidhya Thiagamoorthy
Chair
Sutton LMC
Following the LMC elections this summer, we have a new committee, whose term commenced in October, and will run until the end of August 2028. The new committee members are set out below.
Sutton LMC Membership and Contact info
Enhancing our engagement with Sutton constituents
Sutton LMC is currently looking at how it engages with our colleagues in general practice across Sutton, 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 (utilising established channels)
- Local Practice visits
- Attending meetings/events
- Clinical group meetings
- PCN meetings
- PLTs
- PM forums
- Email alerts
- Regular drop in sessions
- 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 David.Moore@lmc.org.uk and we will feed this into our comms plan, in order to enhance engagement with our constituents.
What has Sutton LMC been working on recently?
Secondary interface
The LMC is represented on the SWL Primary Care/Secondary care interface group comprising representatives from primary care and the acute trusts. This group has been involved in the development of a consensus on the primary/secondary care interface working and the LMCs has commented on the draft.
The LMC continues to raise issues outside the interface group and has recently written to St George’s Hospital to express its concern that in recent years, some clinical pathways and service configurations have appeared to limit access for patients registered with practices in the periphery and surrounding areas, querying how these fit with patient choice.
A SWL primary care/mental health interface group will also shortly be established and the LMC will also be represented on that group.
SWL Clinically led strategy programme
SWL ICB is developing a clinical strategy as a mechanism to deliver the 10-year plan. As part of this work the ICB has set up specific clinical workshops and the ICB has invited LMC representation on the following groups: frailty and end of life care, LTCs and multi -morbidities, mental health, planned specialist care, maternity and neonatal, unplanned care.
The LMC role on these groups will be to ensure that General practice should not be expected to absorb additional work or fill gaps created by changes or reductions in other services or commissioning decisions and any new asks must not erode core GP capacity and practices cannot be expected to do more without additional funding.
The LMC working on your behalf:
We have set out below how and where Sutton LMC represents constituents across the Borough, as well as highlighting some key issues that we have been working on.
PMS/LCS/ES Review for 26/27
The LMC will be reviewing the 26/27 PMS/LCS/ES specifications over the coming months.
Phlebotomy 2025/26
The LMC has expressed concern around the capping of phlebotomy and impact of this on Sutton practices in terms of clinical outcomes, patient factors and practice staffing. The LMC representation on the Task and Finish group has supported to shift £42k into phlebotomy at the LCS/PMS/Engagement scheme review for 26/27 and worked with the ICB so that underspend in year will be reallocated to phlebotomy in year.
Decaptyl and Transdermal oestrogen prescribing
A Sutton GP practice has contacted the LMC for advice after having received a request from the Gender Plus Clinic in Birmingham for it to prescribe Decaptyl and Transdermal oestrogen gel for a patient under 18 years of age. The LMC wrote to the Gender Plus Clinic informing them that practices will not prescribe these medications. The guidance is clear that GP is not expected to prescribe these medications. We have raised the repeated requests to Dr Nicola Jones, SWL Chief medical officer.
LMC representation
The LMC also represents Sutton constituents on the following groups:
- Sutton Primary Care Operations Group (PCOG)
- Primary and Community Care Transformation Group (PCCT)
- Cardiac Event Monitoring Task and Finish Group
LMC comments on referral forms, pathways and guidelines
Over the last 6 months Sutton LMC has provided comments in relation to the following:
- Heart failure pathway
- South London Rapid Access to Chest Pain Clinic referral form
- ABPM referral pathway to community pharmacists
- ESTH chronic cough pathway
Events
It is noted that Sutton MKAD alerts in Q2 were presented at the Bridging the Gap event in November. We await outputs from the meeting and ask that you continue to raise MKADs where appropriate.
England LMC Conference
Sutton LMC were represented at the recent England LMC Conference held in November, by the LMC Chair, Dr Vidhya Thiagamoorthy. Motions raised by LMCs are discussed, and if passed form the basis of negotiation between the GPC and the government, who currently are in dispute over the new GP contract from October.
Pan-London Sessional GP forum
Londonwide LMCs held a virtual Sessional GP forum at lunchtime on Wednesday 10 December.
Dr Marek Jarembowski, Merton LMC Chair presented on how the LMC is supporting Sessional GPs. Dr Farzana Vanat, Vice Chair Barnet LMC shared insights of how to work safely focusing on pushing back, interface and connecting to your LMC.
Londonwide’s LMC Team supporting Sutton LMC:
- Dr Asiya Yunus, Medical Director, Asiya.yunus@lmc.org.uk
- Kate Hudson, Director of Primary Care, Kate.Hudson@lmc.org.uk
- Nicola Rice, Assistant Director of Primary Care, Nicola.rice@lmc.org.uk
- David Moore, Committee Liaison Executive, David.moore@lmc.org.uk
- Kat Lederle, Committee Administrator, katharina.lederle@lmc.org.uk
GP support team
The General Practice Support team comprises 6F/T non-medics (Vicky Ferlia, Jan Swannell, Jacqui Perfect, Yvonne Frank, Vanessa Douglas) and 4 P/T Medical Directors (Dr Elliott Singer, Dr Kirsa Morganti, Dr Sara Riley, Dr Lowri Kew).
The team operates at different levels providing – Confidential, tailor made, expert advice and assistance to individual doctors, practices and PCNs in difficulty. Contractual support to our primary care teams. Feedback/responses to papers & briefings to LMC reps. Policy influence at London level e.g. NHSE/ICBs, CQC. Attendance at Performance Advisory Group (PAGs) and Performers Lists Decision Panels (PLDPs). General Practice support includes:
Individual doctors
- Performance, conduct, health
- NHSE investigations, records reviews
- Advice on GMC referrals, Performers List action
- Liaison with MDOs where necessary
- Appraisal & revalidation
- Educational & clinical supervision, peer support, mentoring, coaching etc through our GP Prof. Support Network.
- Pastoral and emotional support
- Generic employment relations advice (sessional Drs)
Individual practices
- Contract, performance, QOF.Remedial/breach notices & contract termination
- Practice closures, list dispersal, procurement
- Partner retirements, succession planning
- Practice mergers, super-partnerships
- Practice finances, capacity, sustainability
- Practice premises – leasehold and freehold
- Facilitation of partnership disputes
- CQC – RI & Inadequate ratings, action plans, enforcement action
PCN Support
- Facilitation of PCN disputes
- Practices leaving/moving PCNs, practice expulsions & allocations, PCN splits, reconfiguration and creation of new PCNs
- Advice on Network Agreements, governance, financial processes and accountability, practice engagement, ARRS roles, voting/decision making
- Premises for ARRS staff
- Personal & confidential support and advice to CDs and PCN management teams
- Advice on structures and incorporation, collaboration, maximising skill mix, impact on IIF targets
- Support in managing different personality styles, aiming for shared vision and ethos
Workforce-Training and Innovation (WTI) – and the Buying Group
Our refreshed Buying Group offer was relaunched in October, and we encourage you and your practice teams to explore the wide range of high-quality products, services, opportunities and offers now available to London general practice—at competitive prices and with excellent deals.
There is no sign-up required. Simply let the supplier know that you are a practice within the Londonwide LMCs area when placing an order.
Visit the Londonwide LMCs Buying Group to start benefiting from opportunities to:
- Save – access exclusive discounts, offers and deals
- Earn – benefit from rebates and funded projects, including research opportunities
- Sustain – support staff wellbeing and environmental sustainability
We also invite you to explore our training offer in the events brochure.
If you have any questions or ideas, please get in touch at WTI@lmc.org.uk — we would be delighted to hear from you.