GPs in England will receive advice about PCGs

The chairman of the General Practitioners Committee, Dr John Chisholm, is writing to all GPs in England about payments to chairmen and board members of primary care groups (PCGs) (24 October, p 1104).

Dr Chisholm says that despite several meetings with the minister for health and Department of Health officials when the negotiators emphasised the importance of securing a satisfactory package that dealt with payment, practice cover, superannuation, and availability, the resulting circular would do little to encourage GP involvement.

Nevertheless, the GPC chairman says that there are several reasons why GPs should take part in the new arrangements: PCGs will have a significant effect on primary care and general practice in the future; the health improvement programme will require a continuing and substantial input from GPs; PCGs will need a major input from GPs on the implementation of clinical governance; if GPs do not take up their places on the board decisions could be taken by non-clinicians; it would be inappropriate for the control of the cash limited budget (for staff, premises, and computers) to be in the hands …