Vitamin D Supplements for At-Risk Groups
UK Chief Medical Officers have provided this response/advice following concerned raised by the GPC with regard to the implications of advice issued on Vitamin D supplements .

Practice Leases and Service Charges
It is important that practices have a lease for the premises from which they operate rather than a licence to occupy. We understand the PCT is working through the lease arrangements and you can request a copy of your lease if you require it to check details. If you have any lease arrangement or abatement of service charges/facilities management issues please contact the LMC.

Ethnicity and First Language Recording Guidance Updated
The Ethnicity and first language recording guidance has been updated to include extended classifications to the list of NHS Data Dictionary codes for ethnic origin, which are based on a more comprehensive ONS 2001 census list, available within the Read Codes. Note that although practices may wish to continue to record their patients’ first language and ethnicity as a matter of routine in order to assess the needs of their population, this is a practice choice as there is no longer any contractual requirement to do so.

GPC Annual Report
This year’s GPC Annual Report has now been published.

GP Trainees Subcommittee Newsletter
The March 2012 edition of the GP Trainees Subcommittee Newsletter is has now been published. The GP Trainees Subcommittee is a subcommittee of the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee and provides national representation for all doctors in GP training, whether they are members of the BMA or not. The subcommittee meet four times a year and will be producing a quarterly newsletter covering matters of interest to doctors in GP training. The newsletter is intended as a useful resource covering education, training, contracts, terms & conditions of service and any other issues of importance to trainees, as well as information on getting involved with the subcommittee.