It is crucial that GPs and practices devote their time and energy to providing services and care that are commissioned and resourced. 
 
It is not always clear which services are included within ‘core GMS’. There is a risk that practices in different areas can interpret which services are included in different ways. This can result in some practices potentially providing services that are not separately commissioned and resourced. 
 
Generally, if a service is commissioned locally in one area of the country, it cannot be part of core GMS anywhere in the country. We offer a list of locally commissioned services, which by definition are not core general practice, and should be locally commissioned nationwide. 
 
If these services are not locally commissioned, then practices should decline to provide this unfunded and non-core work. It will be for the local ICS (Integrated Care System) to either then commission this within general practice or elsewhere within the system. This list may not be exhaustive and if there are services commissioned locally in your area and not on this list, please advise us and we shall add them. By defining what our core offering from general practice is, it enables us to provide the best possible care for our patients, and not be diverted into unresourced work that should be provided elsewhere, or commissioned separately.