Dr Newman co-authored an RCGP report that highlighted a lack of CCG involvement of sessional GPs. It found that although 44% of sessional GPs wanted to get more involved in commissioning, just 11% felt that their CCG kept partners and sessionals equally informed.
Dr Newman said: ‘This report at a time of unprecedented pressure on general practice points to the need to value and develop the whole GP workforce irrespective of their contractual status.
‘Sessional GPs now make up to 50% of all GPs so can no longer be overlooked - their potential contribution to commissioning may make the difference between success and failure where every referral counts, but also in terms of using the best and brightest talent around locally.
‘Many will become the leaders of primary care in future. This report gives some very clear examples of how to communicate with, and include and develop, them. There is now no excuse for CCGs to rest on their laurels and say sessional GPs are not interested in commissioning.’
