GMSQP Reference Manual 

PC SCREEN

GP Practices and GP Partnerships   Differences and Implications 

Although in real terms a Practice is intuitively the same as a Partnership, in NHAIS 

System terms there are fundamental differences. The data files holding the Practice to 

GP relationships will be separate from those holding the Partnership to GP 

relationships and the screens used for their maintenance will be entirely separate. 

The difference between a Practice and a Partnership is best illustrated by a specific 

example. 

Example: 

Partnership A (consisting of GPs A, B, C and D) starts on 01/01/1998. 

On 30/04/1998, GP D leaves the Partnership, and no GP is immediately available 

to assume responsibility for his patients. 

In NHAIS System terms: 

Partnership A is ended with an End Date of 30/04/1998; 

GP D is ended with the same End Date; and 

Partnership A is re established, with a Start Date of 01/05/1998, consisting 

of GPs A, B and C. 

In this scenario, GP D will still have patients allocated to him on the NHAIS System 

(although, obviously, he would not have responsibility for them); and, in NHAIS 

System terms, GP D would be considered to be an `ended' single handed GP from that 

point. 

In addition, it is likely that an `abeyance' would be established on the NHAIS System 

for GP D (determining the financial implications of GPs A, B and C looking after GP 

D's patients), although this would not necessarily be put in place with effect from 

01/05/1998. 

All patients previously registered with GP D would still be assigned to him within the 

NHAIS System. 

If a new GP E is employed to take D's place, say on 01/06/1998, then:

GP E is set up on the NHAIS System with a Start Date of 01/06/1998, 

Partnership A (A, B and C) is terminated on 31/05/1998, and 

a new Partnership A consisting of GPs A, B, C and E is set up with a Start 

Date of 01/06/1998. 

GP D's patients may now be  Bulk Transferred  to E so that, on the NHAIS System, 

all of D's patients will be re allocated the local code for GP E. Thus, from this point 

on, GP D will no longer have any patients allocated to him within the system. 

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Version: 1.21 

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