Covid-19: GPs can limit routine work to focus on vaccination, says NHS England

General practices can suspend some non-essential work to allow them to focus on delivering covid-19 vaccinations, NHS England has said.

In a letter to general practitioners and local commissioners sent on 7 January, NHS England set out measures designed to reduce practices’ workloads while protecting their income to help them deliver covid-19 vaccinations.1 The letter urged local commissioners to “take a supportive and pragmatic approach to minimise local contract enforcement across routine care, with attention and support focused on the core areas.” But it stressed that GPs should ensure that “general practice remains fully and safely open for patients, including maintenance of appointments.”

Most locally commissioned enhanced services should be suspended, except when these are specifically …