Press release: NHS Confederation announces negotiating team for new GP contract

19 Sep 2001

The NHS Confederation has today announced the team members who will be responsible for negotiating the new GP contract. The chair, Mike Farrar has already been announced, joining him will be:

• Mrs Eleri de Gilbert, Chief Executive, Mansfield PCT
• Mr Mike Ramsden, Chief Executive, Leeds Health Authority 
• Dr Tony Snell, Medical Advisor and Clinical Governance Lead, East Kent Health Authority 
• Mr Chris Town, Chief Executive, North Peterborough PCT 
• Mr John Turner, Chief Executive, Borders PCT, Scotland

This team has been selected using specialist consultants in negotiating skills against a range of criteria, including knowledge of primary care and relevant expertise. It will negotiate on behalf of the whole of the UK and mechanisms are being put in place to ensure that the needs of all parts of the UK are properly taken into account.

Commenting on the appointment of the team, Confederation chief executive, Stephen Thornton said, "we are very pleased with the quality of the applications we received from members wishing to be on the negotiating team and I am delighted with the final selection of members. I am confident that they have the qualities needed to complete these negotiations successfully."

Mike Farrar, chair of the Confederation's negotiating team said, ¡§I am pleased that we have been able to identify such a strong team from different organisational, professional and geographic backgrounds. We are looking forward to constructive negotiations with the BMA's General Practitioners Committee. We have had a number of informal contacts already, which have established a positive tone to our relationship."

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Notes for editors

1. The NHS Confederation has responsibility for leading the negotiations for a new GP contract in the UK.
2. The NHS Confederation is the voice of NHS management. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts, health authorities and local health groups in Wales; trusts and health boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

Biographies of the negotiating team

1. Mrs Eleri de Gilbert is Chief Executive of Mansfield PCT. She previously held senior positions in Nottinghamshire health authorities. She is chair of Trent primary care regional modernisation board and a member of Trent task group on PCT performance management.
2. Mr Mike Ramsden is Chief Executive of Leeds Health Authority. Prior to that he was General Manager of Leeds and Wakefield Family Health Services Authority, in which role he led many negotiations with Local Medical Committees.
3. Dr Tony Snell is Medical Advisor on Clinical Governance for East Kent Health Authority and a practising GP Principal for two sessions per week. He is leaders of the authority's Primary Care Clinical Effectiveness programme. He was formerly Director of Primary Care at Barnet Health Agency.
4. Mr Chris Town is Chief Executive of North Peterborough PCT. He was formerly Chief Executive of North Yorkshire FHSA. He was Northern and Yorkshire regional lead on Total Purchasing Pilots and is a frequent contributor to national primary care development work.
5. Mr John Turner is Chief Executive of Borders PCT. Prior to that he was Chief Executive of Borders Community Health Services Trust. He is a member of the Scottish NHS Confederation Committee.

Contact details

1. Contact Media Relations Manager Joanna Clason on 020 7074 3306 or 07798 571078 or Senior Media Officer Amy Darlington on 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
   

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