Just as the seasons follow a regular cycle, so too does NHS England, in issuing Standard GMS Contract Variation Notices to practices. These occur after 1st April, and, if any changes have occurred in-year, after 1st October. Colleagues should start to receive an email from your commissioners with a similar or equivalent title or referring to Personal Medical Services if your practice continues to hold a PMS Contract.
The Variation Notice will be in a standard format, which alters your GMS/PMS Contract, but only to the extent that this is necessary to incorporate the most recent changes in the national contract, which colleagues will recall has been imposed in recent years. I confirm that commissioners are allowed to alter your contract to take into account new legislation, such as the varied national GP Contract.
The commissioners are required to circulate this Notice to all contract holders; normally requesting an electronic signature on behalf of the partnership (GMS) or those who hold the contract (PMS). However, even if no signature or acknowledgment is returned, these changes, because they reflect national legislative changes, will be legally enforceable via the GMS/PMS Contract.
Therefore, tempting as it may be, and as indeed it often is, to return the Notice with clause(s) that are unwanted struck out, this will not affect the legal enforceability of these clauses.
We can confirm that the Variation Notices only reference the Contract changes, and therefore the LMCs advice is that the content of this Variation is what commissioners are entitled to send to GP Contract holders.