 |
Press release: NHS Employers strengthens GMS negotiating team15 Jun 2005 NHS Employers has appointed PCT chief executive and former GP Barbara Hakin to head its negotiating team for the review of the General Medical Services (GMS) contract. Dr Hakin is chief executive of Bradford South and West PCT and was previously a GP for 20 years. She will be replacing Chris Town, who has stepped down due to work pressures created by additional responsibilities in his job as chief executive at Greater Peterborough Primary Care Partnership. NHS Employers will be appointing two further PCT chief executives in the next few weeks to bring its negotiating team up to 11. It has also appointed Chris Dowse to the NHS Employers staff to lead its primary care contracting work. She will take a strategic leadership role and provide high level links to the Department of Health and other key stakeholder bodies. Ms Dowse is currently Improvement Leader with responsibility for long term conditions at the Modernisation Agency. Prior to this, she has held several senior roles in both the Modernisation Agency and Department of Health and has a strong background in primary care. NHS Employers Director Steve Barnett said: "We are sorry to lose Chris Town and would like to thank him for his hard work, both on the review, and previously in negotiating the GMS contract. I know Barbara Hakin will bring a wealth of experience as both a chief executive and a GP and will provide invaluable leadership to the GMS negotiating team. "With the growing national recognition of the importance of primary care, we have also decided to strengthen our negotiating team by recruiting two additional PCT chief executives and by appointing Chris Dowse to lead our staff primary care contracting team." Barbara Hakin said: "I am greatly looking forward to the challenge of taking up my new role on the negotiating team. The GMS contract has made a real difference to both staff and patients and the review will give us a chance to see where we can make any improvements for the next financial year. My first task as the new chair will be to understand the priorities for everyone concerned and to ensure we have a coordinated and cohesive approach across all parties." Notes for editors
Contact detailsThe press office provides a comprehensive service to keep journalists informed about the work of NHS Employers. If you have a media enquiry, please contact the press office team:
For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726. Last reviewed 24 Oct 2005 |
|
