Partner Focus: Wessex Local Medical Committees
Who are the health and care organisations that make up BSW Together? Over recent issues, the Triangle has featured a mini profile of each of our partners, giving you an overview of the work they do and an understanding of how they are part of our health and care partnership. This month, we take a look at Wessex Local Medical Committees
Overview:
Local Medical Committees have been in existence since 1911 and Wessex Local Medical Committees (Wessex LMCs) is one of over 100 LMCs across the UK. Wessex LMCs support three representative committee of NHS GPs covering all GPs and their practices in BSW, Hampshire and Isle of Wight and Dorset. It represents the views of its GP members to NHS England, BSW ICB and other national and local organisations.
Leadership team:
Dr Andy Purbrick, Dr Laura Edwards, Joint CEOs
Locations:
Wessex LMCs covers a wide geographic area encompassing Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset and the Channel Islands. It covers 3400 GPs, almost 500 GP Practices, four Integrated Care Boards and ten Hospital Trusts.
Staff:
Wessex LMC employs around 20 staff including CEOs, Medical Directors, Directors of Primary Care, Business Managers, Advisors, finance staff, Information Officers, Training and Development Coordinators, a Communications Officer and administrators. Staff are based at an office in Eastleigh, Hampshire
What does Wessex LMC do?:
Like all Local Medical Committees, Wessex LMCs acts as a representative body for local GPs and their practices. They provide advice and support to all GPs in matters relating to their professional lives and actions.
Wessex LMCs offers support to GP practices across the area in a number of ways. It answers queries from GPs, Practice Nurses, Health Care Assistants and Allied Health Professionals, supports practice management and helps with back office issues such as HR, finance, Care Quality Commission issues and pensions.
Wessex LMCs also plays an important role in education and training and provides guidance on a huge range of topics. The training offer covers webinars and podcasts, “how to” modules on finance, contracts, premises and leadership, conferences and education events.
Wessex LMCs represent General Practice to local and national stakeholders such as the ICB and NHS England.
Why is Wessex LMC’s role in the BSW ICS important?
Wessex LMCs aims to promote high quality General Practice that survives the current financial pressures and thrives in the long term. This is a shared aim with BSW ICB and an area we can both promote and enable.
Dr Andy Purbrick, Joint Chief Executive of Wessex LMC said:
“As the voice of General Practice across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, Wessex LMC is proud to represent GPs and practice staff and ensure their professional interests, views and concerns are heard by the health and care organisations that make up the BSW Integrated Care System.”