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Press release: Negotiators move to next phase of global sum allocation formula review

26 May 2005

Negotiators from the British Medical Association and NHS Employers met again this week to drive forward discussions on the future of the formula review of the new national GP contract.

Speaking after the meeting, Philip Grant, Chair of the review team and Director of Finance at Selby and York PCT, said that the negotiators are now ready to move to the next phase and to commission research to assess options for amending the formula. 

Philip Grant said:

'The next phase of the review is crucial.  We need to research the various options for the formula and then to model them within practices so that we fully understand the impact the formula will have at local level.  Our work will be helped considerably by the quality of data that is now available to us which is an improvement on last time'.

Discussions between NHS Employers and the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC) on the future of the formula have been on-going since the start of the year.  Negotiators have agreed a process for the review and have completed the first phase which involved initial assessment of all the factors in the existing formula and of factors which could be included in a revised formula.   These will be investigated in the research which will take place in the next couple of months.

The team will then start detailed practice-level modelling to enable the negotiators to understand the impact of a new formula at different population levels and for different types of practices.  The negotiators will make recommendations to the main General Medical Services plenary in October.

Philip Grant adds:

'Whilst we have a lot of work to do in a short period of time, we are moving forward as quickly as we can and we are confident that we will deliver an improved formula in time for April next year'.

Notes for editors

1. The formula review group consists of representatives for NHS Employers, the GPC, the Departments of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre
2. The formula review group is chaired by Philip Grant.   Representatives from NHS Employers are:
   David King, Associate Director of Strategy, City and Hackney PCT
   Frances Carey, Assistant Director of Finance, North Lincolnshire PCT
   Dr Ian Trimble, PEC Chair, Nottingham City PCT
3. The BMA's representatives are:
   Dr Stewart Drage, GPC Negotiator
   Dr David Love, Joint Chairman of Scottish GPC
   Dr Eric Rose, GPC member

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