Briefing

Non-principal GPs are disenfranchised from many of the processes of the new NHS, “marginalised, undervalued, and vulnerable to discrimination and exploitation.” So reads the introduction to the National Association of Non-principalõs discussion paper on the use of NPs as an NHS resource. The proposed processes for clinical governance and revalidation are geared only to principals, recent proposals on continuing professional development ignore NPs (except when they are needed to provide locum cover for principals), and there is only token representation on local medical committees and in the Royal College of General Practitioners. If the situation is not addressed, warns the document, disaffected NPs will be seduced into private contracts. NANP. Non-principal general practitioners: a NHS resource. Chichester: National Association of Non-Principals, 1999