The Function of the Local Medical Committee

The main functions of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LMC are to advise, support, inform and represent the interests of primary care doctors (General Practitioners, Locums, Out of Hours Doctors, GP Registrars and others) in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The LMC is not financed in any way by the taxpayer, nor does it receive any other form of public funding.  It is mainly funded by means of a Statutory Levy deducted from the personal remuneration of every GP in the area except those who provide Personal Medical Services (PMS) rather than General Medical Services to their patients.  The PMS GPs in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly have voluntarily agreed to pay a levy towards the support of the LMC, thus enabling the LMC to continue to represent all the GPs in the area.

Organisation of the Local Medical Committee

The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly LMC is a committee of local elected GPs each serving a fixed term of office before facing re-election, supported and managed by a permanent Secretariat based in the LMC office in St Austell.

The Committee comprises some 26 GPs from three constituencies, North East, Central and West Cornwall, who are elected every three years by an electoral college consisting of the GPs of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.  The last LMC election took place in the Spring of 2007.  The three constituencies have historically shared the same geographical boundaries as the three Primary Care Trusts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which were created in April 2002 when the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority merged with the two Devon Health Authorities to form a new Peninsula Strategic Health Authority (the PCTs have now been merged into a single PCT for the area).  In April 2005 a fourth constituency was added for GP Non-Principals, and the first election to the new constituency took place in January 2006.  Until that time, four GP Non-Principal representatives were co-opted onto the Committee.

The LMC Committee is headed by a Chairman and Vice-Chairman, who are required to face annual re-election by an electoral college consisting of the members of the LMC.  The Chairman normally serves for a period of three years.  The LMC appoints annually a Cabinet of up to eight Committee members.  See the Your Committee page for more details of each current committee member.

The Secretariat is headed by the LMC Executive Manager, who, in a permanent role similar to that of a Company Secretary in a commercial organisation, is responsible in law for ensuring the actions of the LMC conform to current legislation, fall within the scope of the Constitution and are focused on, preserve and develop the best interests of General Practice.  The LMC Executive Manager is also responsible for all financial matters for the LMC including the management of all budgets and control of the Levy, ensuring transparency and accountability are maintained to high professional standards.  The role also includes an administrative function in support of the Committee and the dissemination of knowledge and guidance across the GP community in the area, ensuring that new information is available to that community and responding to requests from them for guidance in specific areas.  Representing the LMC to other bodies, both locally and nationally, falls within the scope of the role, as does the organisation and facilitation of conferences, meetings and other functions.  A small and invaluable administrative team in the office helps to ensure these services are delivered in a timely and professional manner.

The History of Local Medical Committees

Did you know...

To this day, the LMC is the only local, elected and representative body for General Practitioners, the functions, purpose and aims equally as important today as they were nearly 100 years ago.

The annual spend for the first year Cornwall LMC was in operation was a whopping £46.