Avon LMCs Newsletter 14/10/26
Chairs Blog
Sometimes, issues in general practice generate significant headlines and discussion in the short term, only for the attention to move elsewhere while the consequences continue to be felt for months or even years afterwards.
The accelerated programme of list cleansing by PCSE is one such example. A few months ago, this was a prominent issue both nationally and locally, with considerable concern about the potential impact on practices across our patch. Although the headlines may have faded, I want to reassure colleagues that the LMC remains very much aware of the ongoing implications for general practice.
We continue to raise this issue with the ICB locally and to feed concerns into national discussions. It is important that the impact of this exercise is not overlooked simply because it is no longer attracting the same level of attention.
I would encourage every practice to take the time to review what has happened to its registered list size as a result of the cleansing exercise. For practices using Healthtech-1 for registrations, the analytics tab provides a useful starting point, showing your current list size alongside month-to-month changes in a graph. This can help you identify the scale and timing of any changes.
Understanding the impact on your list size is particularly important because so much of general practice funding is linked to the number of registered patients. A reduction in list size can have significant implications for future income, and I am sure many practices will already be considering how this might affect their budgets and financial planning in the coming months and years.
However, the effects extend beyond individual practices. Changes in list size can also influence PCN funding, Avon LMC’s own funding and the resources available to the ICB. The financial consequences of this exercise for general practice therefore have the potential to compound, with implications that may not become fully apparent for some time.
At Avon LMC, we will continue to press for recognition of these consequences and ensure that the concerns of our member practices remain part of the conversation, both locally and nationally. In the meantime, I would encourage you to review your own practice data and consider the potential longer-term effects.
Lee Salkeld
Chair: Avon LMC
Semaglutide for CVD Prevention update
The BMA position statement on Semaglutide (Wegovy) for cardiovascular disease prevention has previously been shared: Focus on Semaglutide (Wegovy®) in General Practice .
At a recent medicines optimisation meeting, the ICB has expressed a commitment to explore a funded pathway for Semaglutide for cardiovascular disease prevention in general practice. This has been welcomed by Avon and Gloucester LMCs who will work with the ICB to explore this pathway.
New LMC Staff
Avon LMC has a number of new staff and Board Directors, so you may start receiving emails from some new people. The diagram below explains the current team structure.
Collective Action Update
Thank you to all the practices who responded to the shared care prescribing collective action survey. The results were discussed at the LMC Committee meeting on 28th September. The two most popular options chosen were:
- Securing an annual monitoring LES for medications not funded through other contract mechanisms, and which included anti-psychotic monitoring
- A real-world inflationary uplift of the specialist medicines monitoring LES since 2019
Avon LMC are now exploring whether these options can be prioritised as a unified approach across the ICB Cluster footprint via coordination with Gloucester LMC. We will communicate further details with practices as soon as possible.
You asked, we said
Question: The new process for referring adults for mental health support in BNSSG involves the use of a new, specialty- specific referral form. Can we still use the standard generic referral form to refer to the mental health team?
Answer: Avon LMC has discussed with AWP regarding these changes and clarified that they are still accepting referrals from GPs who use the standard generic referral form. AWP’s new referral form is very similar, but they would like to highlight the two key differences which have the potential to be missed should the GP choose to use the standard generic form
- Patient’s next of kin details, to be used should a Mental Health Act assessment is required.
- View on urgency, to ensure perceived clinical risk is effectively communicated.
This can be found here
OneCare’s latest Bulletin
- Tuesday 29th September General practice bulletin
- Tuesday 13th October General practice bulletin
ICB’s General Practice Bulletin
Thursday 8th October 2026: first cluster ICB GP Bulletin which covers Gloucester and BNSSG GP Bulletin
Dad joke:
Why couldn’t the tree get on his computer? Because he could not log on
– LATEST TRAINING AND EVENTS –
Practice & PCN Management Development Programme (PPMD) – One year on
The collaborative PPMD programme has brought together practice and PCN management colleagues from across BNSSG to learn, connect and share experience through webinars, workshops and a successful annual conference. Find out what has been achieved so far, explore the growing library of resources and recordings, and see what’s planned next, including ongoing events, new learning opportunities and a clearer route through training and development. Read the stakeholder briefing and help shape the future of the programme.
Please contact Louise Carthy,Project Manager, at L.Carthy@nhs.net for more information.
Read the full report here
Course spaces available
We currently have spaces available on our upcoming courses
If you or your colleagues are interested in attending, we would be delighted to have you join us. Please secure your place by booking through our website. https://avonlmc.co.uk/events-calendar/
Strategic Management Programme – Advanced 2 Leading in Uncertainty (F2F) – Avon LMC
Project Management – Project Management Fundamentals (Virtual) – Avon LMC
Strategic Management Programme – Foundation 1 Strategic Foundations (Virtual) – Avon LMC
BRIG Meeting
The next BRIG meeting is Thursday the 22nd of October, 1-1.30pm
Joining link: