The General Practitioners Committee
The BMA General Practitioners Committee (GPC) celebrates its centenary this year. It remains the only body which represents all GPs in Britain and deals with all matters affecting NHS general practitioners whether or not they are BMA members.
The Committee also has responsibility within the BMA for all matters affecting prison doctors as they are doctors performing primary medical services. It has 86 members, 43 of whom are directly elected representatives of local medical committees (LMCs). It meets monthly and much of its work is done by subcommittees and task groups (see below)
See who the current GPC members are
The Committee is represented on a wide range of national bodies concerned with health. In addition, other organisations are represented on the GPC itself. These include voting nominees of the Medical Women's Federation, the Medical Practitioners Union, the British International Doctors Association, and non voting nominees of other BMA branch of practice committees, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the British Dental Association.
The chair is Dr Laurence Buckman.
National committees
Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee (NIGPC)
The NIGPC deals with all matters related to GPs whether or not they are members of the BMA.
It negotiates with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (NI) giving the views of general medical practitioners in Northern Ireland on any subject relating to the work of the Health Services Acts (NI).
Recently it has been working on the Compton Review, pensions and the NI affiliate practice scheme for sessional doctors.
The chair is Dr Tom Black.
The Annual Conference of LMCs in Northern Ireland occurred on Sunday 14 April 2013 at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle. Conference motions from the four LMCs in Northern Ireland were duly debated and the NIGPC Annual Report for 2012-2013, detailing the activity undertaken by NIGPC over the past year, was approved.
Conference motions from the four LMCs in Northern Ireland were duly debated and passed resolutions which are now NIGPC policy for the forthcoming year
Scottish General Practitioners Committee (SGPC)
The SGPC represents all GPs in Scotland and has autonomy to deal with matters exclusive to the NHS in Scotland.
Recently the SGPC has published 'General Practice in Scotland: The way ahead - Progress report March 2012', which documents the progress made so far towards achieving the recommendations in the BMA's original 2010 policy document General Practice in Scotland: The Way Ahead.
The chair is Dr Alan McDevitt, a GP from Clydebank.
General Practitioners Committee (Wales) (GPCW)
The GPCW reports to the GPC on matters peculiar to the Principality, respecting the relation of the Welsh medical profession to the NHS Acts.
It reports on any matters specially referred to it by the parent committee and represents the views of practitioners to the National Assembly on any matter relating to the NHS Acts. The committee also keeps the GPC in touch with the Welsh Local Medical Committees.
The current chair is Dr David Bailey.
GPC subcommittees
The GPC has 10 subcommittees:
- Clinical and Prescribing - advises the GPC and the BMA on matters relating to drugs and prescribing.
- The Commissioning and Service Development subcommittee - monitors and advises on primary care organisations.
- The Contracts and Regulation subcommittee - develops policy on all regulatory and contractual issues relating to GPs working within the NHS whether as individuals or contractors.
- Education, Training and Workforce - develops policy and advises the GPC on education, training and workforce issues relating to GPs in the NHS
- GP trainees - provides national representation for all doctors on a GP training programme, regardless of whether they are in a hospital placement or a GP practice placement. Find out more about the subcommittee and the issues we are working on.
- The Joint GPC and RCGP Information Technology - develops policy and advises GPC, the BMA and RCGP on the development of information management and technology in NHS general practice across the UK. The Committee provides a coordinated joint source of impartial evidence and experience based GP IT expertise, vetting and approving all major developments in NHS GP IT, and offers support and guidance to the profession on IM&T matters.
- Joint GPC and RCGP Liaison Group - considers matters of common interest to both parties.
- Practice Finance - considers all matters relating to the provision of general practice premises
- Representation - monitors and reviews the GPC's representative and electoral structures to ensure the adequate representation of all GPs.
- Sessional GPs- considers and reviews all matters affecting salaried and locum GPs.
How do I get involved?
GPC subcommittees are made up of GPC members. For more information on getting involved in GPC, please contact info.gpc@bma.org.uk
Downloads
Subcommittee downloads