Check your Lease - Expired and Expiring Practice Leases

You may have seen a recent BMA email reminding members that ~10% of practices operating without a valid lease, and that a further 20% of leases are expiring within the next five years across all health boards.

Many practices are likely unaware their lease has expired or is close to expiry and there are some key risks for practices without a lease:

• No protection if landlord serves notice (Section 25 or Section 50)

• Liability can fall on retired/former partners still named on the lease

Real-world example: one practice spent 2-3 years in Porter cabin emergency accommodation after a deceased partner’s estate reclaimed the building!

Lease renegotiation is an opportunity to add break clauses and other protections and Costs (e.g. ~£3k) are business expenses and tax-deductible.

Whilst the LMC cannot provide advice regarding these matters beyond encouraging Practices to check their Lease, we recommend practices read the BMA guidance and use specialist property lawyers and surveyors. The BMA provide a GP premises lease template here.

Continuation of payment for patients who require escalation to the community wound care clinics and are affected by the waiting times to access these clinics

On 16/9/26 SBUHB Primary Care Team have released the following statement regarding funding arrangements for patients who require escalation to the community wound care clinics and are affected by the waiting times to access these clinics which can be used as evidence for PPV claims:

"Dear Colleague

The LMC has raised ongoing concerns regarding waiting times for review and handover to Community Wound Care Clinics, and the potential implications for continuation of payment and possible PPV reclaims. We can confirm that the service specification states:

"Be aware that if a wound has not healed by six weeks, clinicians should refer the patient to a specialist service (e.g. the Community Wound Care Service)."

Where a referral has been made to the Community Wound Care Service for assessment and review, practices will not be penalised for providing ongoing wound care pending that review. In such circumstances, continuation of care by the practice will not result in PPV recovery or payment clawback where the delay is attributable to waiting times within the Community Wound Care Service.

In addition, where a wound is showing little or no evidence of healing before the six-week point, practices may wish to consider making an earlier referral to the Community Wound Care Service, taking account of current waiting times and their clinical judgement, to help avoid unnecessary delays in specialist review and ongoing management.

We hope this provides clarification and reassurance. If you have any queries, please contact the Primary Care Team.

Craige Wilson

Deputy Chief Operating Officer and PCTSG Service Group Director"

Whilst we are pleased that SBUHB have released this letter, there are concerns that practices who have not signed up for the complex wound supplementary service and continue to manage these patients would not be covered under GMPI. If your practice is one of those affected please get in touch so we can help provide information to make a practice decision.  

Simple wounds letter September 2026.pdf

Download PDF • 396KB

Teaching resources for All Wales General Practice and Health Board Clinical Interface Standards

These standards have been designed to improve the safety and quality of patient care in NHS Wales and ensure that our patients have the best possible experience as they navigate their pathways. It is a consensus document that has been co-produced with Primary and Secondary Care Clinicians and endorsed by the All Wales Medical Directors.

They apply to all NHS Wales clinicians communicating clinical information between General Practice and Health board run services. They also apply to clinicians working in the private sector who interface with General Practice.

The All Wales General Practice and Health Board Clinical Interface Standards replace WHC (2018) WHC/2018/014 - All Wales Communication Standards between Primary and Secondary care (AWCS)

Our Deputy chair has created some resources regarding these standards, including a video, for training staff on these Standards and are ideal for induction training or department training within a primary or secondary care setting

Slides are available here:

CIinical Interface Presentation slide show v5080826.ppt

Download PPT • 8.24MB

Video of presentation available here:

CIinical Interface Presentation slide show v5080826.mp4

Download MP4 • 639.94MB