GPC head warns practices of difficult year ahead
Released 06/01/2012
Staff redundancies and cutbacks could become a necessity in the current “economically hostile” climate, the leader of the General Practitioners Committee has said
Buckman also warned GP practices against selling out to the private sector
GP practices could face a difficult year in 2012 as the economic climate worsens and reforms to the NHS start to take hold, the leader of the General Practitioner Committee (GPC) has warned.
In an exclusive interview with GP, Dr Laurence Buckman warned practices could face financial difficulties that may result in significant cutbacks such as imposing staff redundancies.
“A lot of practices are going to think very seriously about how they will hold on to all staff. I hope they can but I recognise they may find that difficult,” he told GP.
Buckman also warned GP practices against selling out to the private sector as NHS cuts start to take hold, he said that he was not sure how large the danger was from private business, but that it would remain a threat throughout 2012.
Buckman also said that he believed that a significant number of CCGs may not be fit for purpose by 2013 due to a shortage of funding, and that some may fail to be authorised altogether. This would leave the NHS Commissioning Board to commission in their place, what he referred to as an “undesirable option” but still preferable to the alternative of private takeover.
“I don’t want central control, but I would rather that than someone operating from Paris or Chicago,” he said.
Buckman continued to say that despite the many changes affecting the NHS and primary care in 2012, it will merely be one more challenge that the profession has faced in recent years, stating: “I’ve been through an awful lot of reorganisations before and this is just another one. There will always be people who are not well and people who know how to look after them.”
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