Avon LMCs Newsletter on 13-05-26

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The ALMC Newsletter

Welcome to our weekly newsletter, sharing the latest news and topics of interest for practices.

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– LATEST NEWS –

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As many practices will know, GPC England has now restarted collective action, with a sustained programme of escalation planned over the coming months. The focus for May is on new data sharing agreements.

The principle behind this action is straightforward. Increasingly, wider NHS projects, commissioners, and system partners rely on general practice data to deliver programmes and transformation work, often without sufficient regard for the workload, operational pressures, and workforce crisis currently facing practices. By declining to sign up to new data sharing agreements, practices can make it more difficult for these projects to proceed without meaningful engagement with, and investment in, general practice.

It is important to stress that this action is targeted and proportionate. At this stage, practices are not being asked to cancel existing data sharing agreements. Equally, if a proposed new agreement directly benefits your practice, reduces workload, or generates income, then practices should continue to engage pragmatically.

Examples might include data sharing agreements linked to:

• research activity that provides practice income,
• reporting for services you are commissioned and paid to provide, such as NHS Health Checks, long-acting reversible contraception services or specialist medication monitoring arrangements.

During the previous iteration of collective action, which began towards the end of 2024, Avon LMC worked closely with OneCare and their digital team to review incoming data sharing requests. The aim was to ensure that agreements genuinely benefited practices, rather than primarily serving the interests of commissioners or wider system partners. That collaborative approach between One Care and the LMC will continue.

This renewed programme of collective action reflects the depth of frustration across the profession. General practice continues to absorb unsustainable levels of demand while working within funding and workforce constraints that increasingly push practices beyond safe working limits. The consequences for both staff wellbeing and patient safety are becoming harder to ignore.

GPC England has made clear that this is intended to be a sustained escalation campaign. May’s focus is on data sharing agreements, but further collective action measures will follow. In June, an additional area of focus will be introduced as the profession continues to increase pressure on Wes Streeting and the Government to deliver a contract that properly addresses the realities facing modern general practice.

General practice cannot continue to be expected to deliver ever-expanding workloads without the resources, workforce, and contractual framework required to do so safely. Collective action is about drawing attention to that reality and standing together to secure a sustainable future for practices and patients alike.


Scroll to the bottom to find a seasonal medical dad joke.


Lee Salkeld
Chair: Avon LMC

It’s been a busy few weeks with contractual guidance being released by both NHS England and the BMA, so we have collated a summary:

Statement of Financial Entitlements Directions 2026

This is basically your financial/contractual ‘rule book’ for GP partnerships and can be found here.

The main addition is the new section 14A – GP reimbursement scheme for salaried GP sessions.

Network Contract DES Specifications 2026/27

The updated PCN DES specification can be found here.

In summary:

• Relaxation of rules for ARRS funded GPs
• CAIP funding removed and re-allocated to practice level GP reimbursement scheme within core contract
• Identify Continuity of Care risk cohorts

Local DES variations through ICBs (Avon LMC will be seeking clarification)

As of 1 May 2026, GPC England is focussing on data sharing agreements for GP Collective Action. The BMA webpage with all the resources can be found here.

Question: We have a patient who is undergoing private fertility treatment abroad and her doctor has asked her to have several tests ahead of this treatment. Please could you advise?

Answer: Thank you for your query regarding a registered patient who is seeking private fertility treatment abroad and has asked the practice to undertake some preliminary investigations.

This situation is addressed within the Avon LMC guidance on the private/general practice interface.

In summary, unless there is a clear clinical indication to carry out any of the commonly requested tests within general practice, you are under no obligation to undertake investigations requested by the private clinic.

For example, if a woman presents with heavy menstrual bleeding, a full blood count may be clinically indicated. Similarly, if she has irregular periods, investigations for PCOS may be appropriate. However, where infertility is the sole presenting issue, there is no obligation for the practice to arrange screening tests in advance of a private fertility assessment

The NMC has confirmed that Nursing Associates can administer vaccinations under a PSD where they are trained and competent. However, the prescriber is solely responsible for obtaining and documenting informed consent for the medication and this responsibility cannot be delegated. Consent must also be reconfirmed at the point of care.

We continue to explore digital solutions with system partners. Guidance on using Accurx for consent is available on our website. https://avonlmc.co.uk/immunisations-information-resources/

Statement from Brisdoc in response to Avon LMC raising practice concerns:

In response to feedback from in-hours General Practice, SevernSide Integrated Urgent Care has changed the process for patients that have not been contacted at the conclusion of the overnight OOH period. Previously this process involved SevernSide operational teams phoning the details of these patients through to GP surgeries. 

Whilst this process was intended to be supportive to patients, it did not contain detailed clinical information about the reasons for the initial contact, and it unintentionally circumnavigated individual surgery triage processes.

From Monday 27th April, these patients have been asked to contact their usual GP surgery themselves, via usual routes, rather than being handed over proactively by our operational teams. 

Our intention remains to contact all patients who are on our IUC caseload during the out of hours period. At periods of high demand, we risk-assess the queue and any patients asked to contact their own practice will have been deemed lower risk.

Please continue to feedback should any issues arise with this or any other SevernSide matter.

This can be found here

• 7 July 2026: Virtual LMC drop in, 1pm – 2pm

Please note that our training webpage will undergo scheduled maintenance every Friday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. During this period, the system may be temporarily unavailable, and enrolment forms submitted may not be received or processed.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

• Tuesday 12 May General practice bulletin
• Thursday 7 May General practice bulletin

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This week’s joke has been supplied by my daughter:

“Have you heard the rumour about the butter?”

“I won’t spread it!”

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– LATEST TRAINING AND EVENTS –

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