Avon LMC Ltd.
14a High Street
Staple Hill
Bristol
BS16 5HP
Tel: 0117 9702755
Fax: 0117 9702710
Email Us
Avon Local Medial Committee - About the LMC
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What is the Local Medical Committee? The Local Medical Committee is a statutory body, recognised by successive NHS Acts as the professional organisation representing individual GPs and GP Practices as a whole to the Health Authority, including Primary Care Trusts. The 1999 NHS Act extended the LMC role to include representation of all GPs whatever their contractual status. This includes GP non-principals and GP registrars. The LMC represents the views of GPs to any other appropriate organisation or agency. Independence The LMC is an independent self-financing body with statutory functions. It is not a trade union. This is the role of the BMA. The LMC does function as a trade association. Funding The LMC is funded by contributions from GP Practices in a contract with the NHS to provide General or Personal Medical Services, and by practitioners registered with the LMC as non-contracted GPs, such as non-principals. In addition, GPs are asked to pay a levy, which is used to finance the LMC's contribution to the national GMS Defence Fund. Elections Elections take place regularly under terms stipulated in the lMC constitution. In Avon elections take place every four years. Any GP may be nominated for election. Core Values The LMC shares the desire of any body that wishes to ensure a high quality service is delivered to patients within the resources available. The LMC is committed to the values of Equity and fairness Openness Equal opportunities Representation - working to ensure that all advice provided is representative of all GPs. Representation Wherever possible, the LMC works co-operatively with the Health Authority, Primary Care Trusts and other organisations to ensure patients receive services and care in accordance with the prodfessions local and national priorities. Wherever necessary, the LMC robustly defends the profession's views when those of others conflict with what, we believe is in our patients' best interests. The LMC represents and advises on all matters concerning: GP Practices as providers of NHS Services including:
GP Practices as commissioners of services including:
GPs as professionals:
National Representation and Negotiation The LMC represents local GP practice views nationally through the prosessional representative mechanisms outlined below: Local Voices: GPs can submit proposals to their LMC at any time, but have a specific opportunity to do so at the annual open meeting, normally in July. In addition, proposals are distilled from debate at the LMC over the course of the year for submission to the Annual Conference of LMCs. National Voices: The 'parliament' for GPs is the General Practitioners committee (GPC) which meets monthly throughout the year. The GPC is the standing committee of the British Medical Association with full authority to deal with matters affecting NHS GPs, whether or not they are BMA members. It is recognised by the Department of Health as NHS GPs negotiating body. Every part of the country has at least one spokesperson on the GPC to present its views and debate key issues. Throughout the year, papers are produced for discussion at LMCs and from time to time the GPC consults all GPs directly through surveys and questionnaires. National debate and policy setting: GPC representatives and LMC representatives meet annually at the National Conference of LMCs. Proposals from individual LMCs across the country are debated alongside those from the GPC. The outcome of the debate determines the framework for the profession's negotiations at both national and local levels. National negotiation: This takes place continually betweenthe Secretary of State and his/her team of negotiators and the profession's national negotiating team. The Secretary of State's team is supported by the senior civil service, the NHSE and the resourses of the NHS. The profession's national negotiating team is elected annually by members of the GPC, and is supported by other professionals including public affairs and relations staff. The issues negotiated nationally mirror those at local level, but also include the submission of evidence to the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body for pay purposes. Local representation: The LMC consists of GPs elected on a constituency basis, and includes representation from GMS and PMS GPs, non-principal GPs and GP registrars. In addition, members are co-opted when appropriate. The LMC committee meets every two months. Representatives attend other meetings where appropriate. The LMC also works closely with other LMCs within the South West to ensure that GPs are represented on a regional basis. Helping Individual GPs and Practices The LMC provides help and advice to asist GPs and practice manaers steer through the NHS. Such help is available on all matters relevent to general practice including:
Communications: The LMC regards communication between representatives, constituent GPs and practices as essential, and is ever striving to improve this. The LMC communicates with GPs and practices in many ways including:
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