Calls for inquiry into failure to pay trainee GPs their salaries – Jonathan Ashworth MP

Jonathan
Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, has
written to Jeremy Hunt requesting an “urgent update” concerning the failure of
Capita to pay hundreds of trainee GPs their salaries.

Jonathan Ashworth said:

“I’m
sure you would agree that trainee GPs seeking charitable support to feed their
families, and being unable to cover their mortgages is an entirely unacceptable
situation which requires urgent rectification.”

“I’m sure
that as a Secretary of State who places patient safety at the heart of your
vision for our National Health Service you will be taking these warnings very
seriously indeed.”

The letter from Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary
calls on the Government to:

·        
Pay the affected
trainees directly until the situation is resolved so that they are not forced
to seek help from charities.

·        
Undertake a thorough
investigation into how these sustained failings were allowed to take place
under the watch of the Department of Health, and why this service was
outsourced in the first place.

Ends

Notes to editors:

·        
Full text of the letter:

Dear
Jeremy,

I am
writing to ask for an urgent update concerning the failure of the private firm
Capita to pay hundreds of trainee GPs their salaries.

On 30 October,
Dr Richard Vautrey, Chair of the General Practitioners Committee, wrote a
letter to NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens outlining a number of
significant issues with Primary Care Services England (PCSE). The service is
commissioned by NHS England and has been provided by Capita since it was
awarded the contract in June 2015.

Failings
include missing records, administrative errors preventing GPs from working and
missing payments. Some GP practices have not received their training grants and
have been forced to either cover the shortfall from wider budgets, which are
already under unprecedented strain, or leave trainees without payment.

One
trainee GP has told The Guardian newspaper that she was not paid for two
consecutive months by Capita, forcing her to post on a private message board
asking: “Anyone know of how I access hardship funds (quickly) to feed
children/pay nursery/mortgage (quickly)?”

I’m sure
you would agree that trainee GPs seeking charitable support to feed their
families, and being unable to cover their mortgages is an entirely unacceptable
situation which requires urgent rectification.

Many GPs
have also reported problems with management of the performers list, with
significant delays in updating lists leaving them unable to work- sometimes for
months at a time.

Additionally,
the BMA has warned that significant delays and faulty processes in both
registration and patient removals is “affecting patient care” and “causing
problems for patients with incorrect vaccination and screening calls/recalls.”

I’m sure
that as a Secretary of State who places patient safety at the heart of your
vision for our National Health Service you will be taking these warnings very
seriously indeed.

Clearly
PCSE services remain far below the high standards rightly expected by the
public. Instead of delivering high quality care, Capita’s failings are placing
GP services and staff under needless additional pressure with significant
ramifications for patient safety.

Therefore,
in the first instance whilst this deeply unfortunate situation continues, will
you instruct your Department to pay these trainees directly so that they are
not forced to seek help from charities?

Moreover,
will you agree to undertake a thorough investigation into how these sustained
failings were allowed to take place under the watch of your Department? The
public will rightly want to understand why this service was outsourced in the
first place and how it became yet another example of botched privatisation.

Finally,
the BMA estimates that hundreds of trainees have been affected, although NHS
England has been unable to confirm an exact number. Will you therefore
investigate exactly how many GP trainees have been affected by these sustained
and extremely serious failings?

New
systems for cervical screening and GP payments and pensions that are also
contracted out to Capita are due to go live next July. However, the BMA has
declared it has “no confidence” in Capita’s ability to deliver these services.

These
failings must never be allowed to be repeated. I look forward to receiving your
assurances that the matter is being dealt with swiftly and with the severity it
requires.

Yours
sincerely,

Jonathan
Ashworth MP
Shadow Secretary
of State for Health