Primary care trust offers practices a cash incentive to take on new partners
BMJ 2009; 339 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b4375 (Published 28 October 2009) Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b4375
A primary care trust is offering general practitioners (GPs) cash incentives to take on new partners in their practice rather than recruit salaried GPs.
NHS South West Essex is in talks with four practices in the area. The exact payment will vary according to the practice and is subject to negotiation.
Some practices could benefit by as much as £220 000 (€243 000; $364 000) if they offer a GP a formal partnership agreement. They will, however, have to meet certain minimum standards and hit targets to improve access and performance.
The basic scheme, for practices providing general medical services, will offer £80k in year one, £80k in year two, £40k in year three, and £20k in year four, said a trust spokeswoman. Some limited support funding will be available in the first year for the costs of the legal partnership agreement and advertising.
“The aim of this scheme is to recruit young, innovative GPs into the areas of most need and to enable these GPs to establish their careers,” said the trust spokeswoman. “It will enable smaller practices to develop into larger surgeries offering more GPs, providing additional capacity able to respond to the growing population in these areas.”
The Succession Planning Scheme was one of a number of initiatives to recruit new GPs to the area, she said.
The trust wants to recruit 35 extra full time equivalent partners, many of whom will be needed in single handed practices or where GPs are due to retire soon.
Practices providing personal medical services will also be offered incentives, although funding will be “offset by any growth monies” they receive, says the trust.
The scheme follows concerns that salaried GPs were becoming disillusioned and refusing to apply for non-principal positions.
Dr Brian Balmer, chief executive of Essex Local Medical Committees and a member of the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee, welcomed the initiative. “I’ve been pushing for them to do this for a while,” he said. “The trust was in deep trouble a few years ago with a large number of GPs coming up to retirement, and recruitment is difficult in this area.”
He said the first new partners should be recruited within a couple of months. “It’s a win-win situation. Doctors who are winding down can have someone come in and can offer continuity to patients.”
The advantages of the scheme outweighed the disadvantages of shifting from a general medical services to a personal medical services contract, he said.