About Us

Funding

LMCs are funded by GPs to support General Practice.

In Suffolk, the LMC is funded through both a statutory and voluntary levy paid by all practices.  As it is a practice based levy, all GPs in every practice are entitled to avail themselves of the services of the LMC.

The income is used to fund the administrative costs of running the LMC Office, reimbursing members for their time and travel on LMC business, funding the annual payments to the General Practice Development Fund and making charitable donations to organisations that support GPs and their families.

Elections

Elections in Suffolk take place every three years under the terms stipulated in the SLMC Constitution. Any GP included in the National Performers List working in a Suffolk Practice (excluding those in Waveney) can be nominated for election.

Representation

Wherever possible, SLMC works in co-operation with NHS England, Suffolk and North East Essex ICB and other organisations to ensure that patients in Suffolk receive the best possible primary care services. The LMC will defend robustly the views of the profession in relation to providing quality patient care.

The LMC represents and advises on all matters concerning

GPs as Primary Care Providers:

• GP Contracts – GMS, PMS and APMS
• GMS Regulations
• NHSEI and ICB Policies
• NHS Complaints process and Disciplinary procedures
• Commissioning of local health services

GPs as Professionals:

• Profession-led regulation and professional standards
• Education and training
• Liaison with Consultants and hospital colleagues
• General Medical Council
• National Professional bodies – BMA, RCGP
• Occupational Health issues
• Liaison with other professions allied to medicine

Suffolk LMC Constitution

The constitution document can be found here. 

Links with other Bodies

The LMC maintains an extensive network of formal and informal contact on behalf of GPs with bodies such as:

• Suffolk GP Federation
• NHS England
• ICBs
• Other LMCs
• BMA/GPC
• RCGP
• CQC
• Dispensing Doctors Association
• National Association of Primary Care
• NHS Alliance
• Members of Parliament
• Local Government
• Other Representative Committees

Supporting GPs

The LMC provides help and advice to assist GPs in the whole range of activity they are involved in within the NHS. Such help is available on all matters relevant to general practice including:

• Contractual arrangements
• Complaints
• Premises
• Partnership affairs
• Employment matters
• Disputes with NHS England/ICB

Communication

The Committee believes that effective communication is an essential part of its responsibilities and strives to maintain and improve communication between members, officers and staff and the GPs that the Committee represents.