With PCNs and practices facing the impending deadline for their decision on the Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service (DES) Contract Specification for2020/21, Ben talks to Justin Cumberlege, who specialises in providing legal advice to the primary care healthcare sector as a partner at Hempsons Solicitors. From the contract specifics, to the key considerations and the legal and practical implications in between, this week’s podcast offers a bitesize overview of what primary care should be mindful of before 31 May 2020.

Introductions (14 secs)

How is this year’s network DES different? (38 secs)

The challenges so far (1 min 41 secs)

Publication timing (2 mins 53 secs)

What does sign up mean for practices and networks? What are the timescales? (4 mins 26 secs)

What if a practice does not want to be part of their PCN going forwards? (5 mins 49 secs)

Can the PCN configuration be changed at this point? (7 mins 15 secs)

The thorny issue of ‘expelling’ a practice from a network (7 mins 46 secs)

Justin’s highlights the key considerations for practices and networks, ahead of the sign-up deadline (8 mins 15 secs)

Reviewing the network agreement (9 mins 35 secs)

Requirements of collaboration (11 mins 39 secs)

The repercussions of breaching the contract (14 mins 15 secs)

Defining the difference between the PCN DES and the PMS agreement and GMS contract (17 mins 23 secs)

Focusing on the small print and implications of worst-case scenarios (18 mins 18 secs)

If practices sign up this year, what are the implications for opt out next year? (19 mins 9 secs)

Getting in touch (20 mins 6 secs)

 

Hempsons website here

Justin is contactable via email: [email protected]