GP Health, Occupational Health service Available to GPs
Recognising that the occupational health service provided through GP Health is a valuable service and particularly vital at this time of increased pressure in which GPs find themselves, Cleveland LMC GP Members voted unanimously to make a donation to GP Health to enable them to continue to provide support to GPs in Tees. This donation has been made from the existing levy, which all practices pay, and will incur no extra cost to practices or their GPs. Please be aware that this service is only available GPs in Tees. Please view the Useful Links page for further details. This service has always been well received and is designed for you. Please do not hesitate to contact GP Health if you feel you need their support – it is completely confidential, anonymous and free of charge.

GP Trainees Work Pattern Data Collection
As part of the negotiations (scheduled to conclude October 2014) for a new contract for all doctors in training, GP Trainees received, from their deanery, a data collection spread sheet and a letter including instructions on how to complete the spread sheet. The collection asks for trainees to record the hours they have worked for a two week period beginning on June 2nd as well as their OOH work for 12 months. It is essential that as many GP trainees as possible take part in the collection to ensure that there is accurate information for negotiations – please encourage your trainee GPs to take part. GP trainees do not currently have a formally negotiated national contract; rather, the terms and conditions in the GP trainee framework contract have been produced by the GPC in conjunction with COGPED, and are designed to reflect NHS directions. It is proposed that a new nationally agreed contract would include GP trainees. An important aspect of the negotiation process will be to model pay arrangements for the new contract. In order to do this, the negotiating parties need to improve understanding of the hours of work and working patterns undertaken by all doctors in training.