A major survey released today shows that current Government plans to overhaul the NHS could be put at risk because GPs, who will be largely expected to implement the reforms, simply do not have the skills required to introduce the changes the Government is pushing for.
The survey, commissioned by law firm DMH Stallard LLP and management consultancy Kurt Salmon, highlights GPs concerns that plans to shut down Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and create Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) made up of GP practices are unworkable without a huge investment in commercial skills training.
For example, 85% of GPs felt that they didn’t have the skills necessary to handle their new commissioning roles and almost 90% per cent have real concerns about their legal liabilities as members of a CCG.
Some 50% of GPs have yet to formally create a CCG, and of those which had, almost three quarters either didn’t know or doubted if their CCG leaders could successfully control commissioning budgets.
The survey also revealed that over 90% of GPs either didn’t know whether, or thought it likely that, inheriting existing contracts from dismantled PCTs would make it difficult for their CCG to control costs.
A key element of the Government’s planned NHS reforms is achieving the effective integration of patient’s medical needs across a number of health agencies. According to the research, some 82% of GPs felt that they were unlikely to achieve this under the new reforms.
“It is quite clear that GPs, who will be expected to manage and deliver these fundamental reforms currently have real worries as to how they will make them work in practice,” says Andrew Lentin, Partner at Kurt Salmon.
“Almost a third of GPs think that something as basic as the government’s target date of April 2013 when CCGs will inherit control from their PCT is unachievable”.
Nick Leavey, Partner at DMH Stallard who heads up the firms specialist Healthcare Group adds, “A major area of concern for GPs is the fact that they have no expertise in the ‘business’ of running a CCG with 72% admitting they have no experience in areas like data management, costing clinical services, negotiating with providers, procurement law, and contract and financial management. And yet, these are areas of critical importance if the CCG is to survive as a business”
“Where CCGs have been created 65% either didn’t know or hadn’t undertaken any formal assessment of individual GP practices within their CCG to determine their viability as businesses – which means that poorly performing practices could destabilise the whole CCG.”
“Furthermore over half of CCG members either didn’t know of decisions being made by their CCG leaders or felt they weren’t being told and 47% fear that conflicts of interest could arise among CCG leaders.”
Andrew Lentin continues, “It is clear that GPs have fundamental concerns about how CCGs will operate at a grass roots level. Fears about the financial management of CCGs together with the delivery of integrated services to patients, at this time demonstrate a serious mismatch between Government expectations and the GP community who will bear the responsibility for implementing the reforms.”
The overarching conclusion from the survey is that, GPs don’t currently feel that they have the necessary business or legal skills to manage their CCGs and implement the reforms.
DMH Stallard will be publishing a series of articles over the coming weeks addressing the key legal issues that have been highlighted by the survey results.
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About the Survey
- The survey took place over three weeks in October 2011 and 400 GPs took part.
- The survey was commissioned by law firm DMH Stallard LLP and management consultancy Kurt Salmon
- The survey was undertaken in partnership with GP magazine, Pulse.
- Seventy per cent of respondents were GP Partners and 35% already had a commissioning or practice lead role
About DMH Stallard LLP
For further information please see: www.dmhstallard.com/site/sectors/ps_health/
- DMH Stallard LLP is independently recognised as a leading law firm in the healthcare sector
- DMH Stallard works with the NHS and with GPs and other health professionals as well as with private sector healthcare providers
- DMH Stallard understands the regulatory framework within which the sector operates and have developed strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in healthcare delivery such as specialist healthcare property developers, finance providers, business consultants and accountants
- DMH Stallard have a specialist Healthcare team who advise on the acquisition and development of new primary health care premises
About Kurt Salmon
- Kurt Salmon is one of the world’s leading strategy and transformation business advisory firms. Its recommendations draw on a global team of more than 1,600 professionals world-wide.
- Kurt Salmon has a proven track record in delivering outstanding results for clients across all industry sectors, with a deep specialism in Health, Consumer and Retail, Financial Services.
- Kurt Salmon is a company of Management Consulting Group (MCG - London Stock Exchange)
For further information please see www.kurtsalmon.com/en/expertise/health-care/?country=united-kingdom
For further press information please contact:
Scott Garner
Head of Business Development
Tel: 01293 60 3532
Email: scott.garner@dmhstallard.com
