In 2003/2004 the government and the BMA negotiated a new GP contract, known as the New General Medical Services contract (nGMS). This basically divided the services a GP practice was expected to deliver into three different categories: Essential Services, Additional Services, and Enhanced Services.
Essential Services
All GP practices have a contract with the local Integrated Care Board (ICB) to deliver essential core services. These include provision of basic general medical services for our registered patients, (as well as for persons temporarily resident within our defined practice boundaries), requiring management for acute medical illness from which recovery is expected, along with provision of care for the terminally ill, management of chronic diseases, ill health prevention and health promotion.
Additional Services
These are services not automatically provided by all GP surgeries. It includes such services as cervical screening, contraceptive services, including cap fitting. Adult immunisations, child health surveillance, maternity services and minor surgery, e.g. cryotherapy also come under this category. Our practice is able to offer a full service in all these areas.
Enhanced Services
Certain services are contracted with any appropriate provider including private clinics and not necessarily from the practice you are registered with. Many smaller practices will not offer these services. Current examples of enhanced services that our practice is able to provide are influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations, HPV vaccinations to help prevent cervical cancer, anticoagulation near patient testing and dosing, coil and long acting reversible contraception (i.e. subdermal implant insertion and removal), long term depot contraception, minor surgical procedures (e.g. excision of benign skin lesions, lumps, toenails etc, under a local anaesthetic), joint and soft tissue injections, a shared care scheme for the support of drug misusers, support for people wishing to reduce their alcohol intake and / or reduce dependency.