Commissioning & Conflicts of Interest
The new NHS England guidance on conflicts of interest for CCGs, ‘Managing conflicts of interest: Guidance for Clinical Commissioning Groups’ outlines the statutory governance requirements of CCGs and provides advice for CCGs on managing conflicts of interest. The guidance provides details on the CCG’s register of conflicts of interest such as how often CCGs should update the register and the steps they should take to ensure that patients and the public have access to the register. The guidance clearly states that an individual with a ‘material interest’ in an organisation which provides or ‘is likely to provide substantial business’ to a CCG (and this encompasses commissioning support services) should not be a member of the governing body. The GPC’s guidance on conflicts of interest is being updated in the light of the new edition of the GMC’s Good Medical Practice, new GMC guidance on conflicts of interest and the NHS England guidance on conflicts of interest.

Fitness to Drive Regulations
The DVLA has amended the epilepsy and vision elements of the minimum medical standards for group two drivers (driving lorries and buses) in the UK. They have updated the form for doctors reporting on patients’ fitness to drive and their information leaflet (with link to attached document) about the requirements. Because the visual standards now require a higher level of response from doctors, the GPC advise GPs to refer patients requesting certification to optometrists for the vision section of the assessment, unless the patient has either 6/6 vision uncorrected or 6/6 vision corrected and with recent evidence of prescription strength.

Taking a Career Break Guidance
The GPC guidance for GPs considering taking a career break gives information about Induction and Refresher (I&R) schemes and lists the important factors to consider before deciding whether to take a career break.

GP Trainees Newsletter April 2013
The latest edition of the GP trainee newsletter covers MRCGP pass rates and costs, charges for occupational health vaccines for trainees, useful documents for trainees, and why you should join the subcommittee, amongst other issues.

DH Letter Confirming Continuation of Premises Payments
The Department of Health has circulated this letter regarding the continuation of existing premises related payments