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LMC conference: the story so far

LMC conference: the story so far
22 May 2012



So far today UK Local Medical Committees (LMC) have delivered an onslaught to the General Medical Council over the funding of revalidation, backed its leaders in the way they dealt with the Health and Social Care Bill, and thrown out a motion calling for the charging of patients to receive care in a GP surgery.

Here is a highlight of some of the motions already won and lost today:

10:10 am: LMC Conference votes unanimously to call upon the GP Committee to defend the role of the generalist in its negotiations.

So far today UK Local Medical Committees (LMC) have delivered an onslaught to the General Medical Council over the funding of revalidation, backed its leaders in the way they dealt with the Health and Social Care Bill, and thrown out a motion calling for the charging of patients to receive care in a GP surgery.

Here is a highlight of some of the motions already won and lost today:

10:10 am: LMC Conference votes unanimously to call upon the GP Committee to defend the role of the generalist in its negotiations.

10:30 am: Motion calling for an agreement that the present model of free at the point of delivery in general practice is unsustainable.

In commenting on the motion, GPC Chair Dr Laurence Buckman said patients should not be blamed for the excessive demand on GPs and claimed he wanted “no part in charging patients for care”.

10:50 am: Dr Paul Hobday from Kent LMC puts forward a motion to give a ‘slap on the wrist’ to BMA leadership for “taking so long to wake up to the malignant effects of the Health and Social care Act”.

GPC member Dr Fay Wilson launches a spirited defence to the motion, calling it “fundamental undermining of the BMA”.

BMA Council Chair Dr Hamish Meldrum takes the podium and calls for efforts to be concentrated on mitigating the most dangerous effects of the Act, not on infighting and squabbling.

Dr Hobday’s motion is lost.

11:10 am: Motion calling upon all GP practices to withdraw support for CCGs to focus on core duties is lost.

However, GPC negotiator Dr Chaand Nagpaul warned the government not to take GP support for CCGs for granted.

11:30 am: LMC Conference overwhelmingly votes to deplore the government for not releasing the Health and Social Care Act’s transitional risk register but dodges a vote to call for the resignation of Health Secretary Andrew Lansley and Prime Minister David Cameron.

Dr Adam Skinner from Kent LMC said Lansley shouldn’t be allowed to resign.

“Resignation is too good for [Lansley]. He should be shackled to the wreckage and made to go down with the ship,” he said.

12:00PM: LMC Conference agrees health reforms are a smoke screen for the true intent of “parcelling up the NHS to bite chunks in preparation for privitisation”.

12:50PM: LMCs vote to demand the abolishment of DH-led GP practice boundary pilots, with fears over funding and a loss of continuity of care.

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