Coal-faced GPs have branded co-commissioning as unworkable due to a conflict of interest, at the LMC annual conference in London.
Last year at the same annual conference GP leaders rejected plans for CCGs to co-commission primary care, and warned that such a move will ‘fatally damage relations’ between practices and commissioners.
Coal-faced GPs have branded co-commissioning as unworkable due to a conflict of interest, at the LMC annual conference in London.
Last year at the same annual conference GP leaders rejected plans for CCGs to co-commission primary care, and warned that such a move will ‘fatally damage relations’ between practices and commissioners.
One year on it seems that this may be the case as 60% of doctors at the conference voted that co-commissioning will be ‘made unworkable through conflicts of interest.’
The GPC will now try to ‘tackle and reassure’ regarding potential conflicts of interest.
Speaking at the event Dr Violaine Carpenter from Hertsmere LMC said: “We cannot avoid conflicts of interest. We can, where possible, limit conflicts of interest and involve GPs directly in the decisions regarding commissioning.
“The alternative is to focus on avoiding all conflicts of interest and lose sight of the intentions of co-commissioning. As GPs we do believe in the principles of co-commissioning and do wish to participate, but need to be assured that it will be fully resourced,” she said.
The LMC leaders also voted that co-commissioning must be adequately resourced, exclude performance management of GPs, and will further reduce the influence of member practices on CCGs.
In response Dr Amanda Doyle, co-chair of NHSCC said: “Our members recognise that potential conflicts of interest will occur when CCGs commission primary care, but they are manageable. As long as CCGs are working to their strategic commissioning plans and have the recommended checks and balances in place when they procure services, then the rationale for what and how they are commissioning from member practices will withstand scrutiny.”
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