Legal advice for GP practices
Running a GP practice means that you face varied challenges on an everyday basis. From dealing with premises to admitting new partners, you need an expert on your side.
A multi-discipline team here for you
We have put together a multi-discipline legal team which will help you resolve issues around running your practice so you can look after your patients.
The advice we can offer to GP practices includes the following:
-
Partnership agreements
Whether you are a GP practice owner/ manager or a GP looking to join a GP practice, you will be aware of how important a GP partnership agreement is. A well drafted GP partnership agreement spells out the relationship between the partners, helps to resolve disputes and minimises risks. Our healthcare team can prepare a GP partnership agreement that suits your practice’s individual needs, and helps you to keep it up to date when new partners join.
-
Admission, retirement and expulsion of partners
When partners join, leave or retire, it needs to be on terms that protect your practice from risk. As partners approach retirement they may also wish to reduce their clinical hours (and their profit share in the practice) whilst retaining their original ownership share in the premises (and their entitlement to receive the notional rent). Our healthcare experts can make sure that your partnership agreement allows for these changes – and vary it when new circumstances arise.
-
Practice restructuring
In the current climate, practice owners and managers are being required to evaluate their practice structure to ensure that it can meet service delivery needs whilst at the same time protecting against risks. Whether you operate under a partnership, joint venture or corporate structure we can assist you in setting up your practice in the most effective way for your service delivery.
-
Commercial property and construction advice
As the demands on healthcare professionals grow, it is crucial to make sure that your premises meet the standards imposed by the Care Quality Commission as well as the growing demands of your patients. Our healthcare lawyers can advise you on all aspects of property acquisition, refurbishment and development, from the planning stage through to implementation. Find out more about how we can help here.
-
Lease Advice
We have advised GP practices across the whole range of leasing issues whether acting as landlord or tenant. We are familiar with the specific issues arising from health centre leases situated in NHS-owned buildings, and with the concept of notional rent under the NHS (Premises Costs) Directions.
-
Disputes
Disputes can often arise and become a drain on already stretched management time and resources. We can alleviate pressure with our specialist healthcare dispute lawyers who efficiently manage and resolve any commercial dispute that arises, thereby keeping to a minimum any damage to reputation or relationships. We work across the board from partnership disputes to landlord and tenant disputes with the aim of providing sensible solutions based on a wide range of experience.
-
Regulatory Compliance
Our healthcare regulatory lawyers have expertise in advising GP Practices on all aspects of regulatory compliance including critical incident management, reputation protection and professional discipline.
-
Employment and HR
Our healthcare employment lawyers are adept at dealing with difficult situations. We have a wealth of experience representing both employers and employees and are skilled at finding creative yet practical solutions to tricky employment law problems.
Acting for GP practices in Bath and the South West on retirement and sale of practice
Advising association of healthcare professionals on incorporation, LLP agreement and contractual arrangements with Circle Healthcare
Acting for a partnership on the acquisition of commercial premises in Bath and a lease-back to a GP Practice with a rent tied to the notional rent.
Acting for two GP Practices taking notional rent-linked leases within the same building in Hertfordshire which were granted once the third party developer had completed the conversion and refurbishment project.
Acting for three GP Practices taking leases at a major Health Centre in North London from an NHS Trust
Acting for two GP Practices taking underleases at a recently constructed “NHS LIFT” development in South London.
Acting for a GP Co-operative in East London in relation to a lease it was taking in a hospital to deliver an “out of hours” service which it had contracted with the relevant Clinical Commissioning Group to provide.
Acting for a GP Practice in relation to the variation of its partnership agreement to facilitate a reduction in clinical hours by certain partners by creating a division between the Property account and the Practice account with different shares and credits/ debits allocated to each account.
Acting for a GP Practice in relation to its lease of premises within a Hospital operated under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).
Acting for group of GPs on their incorporation including a sale and leaseback of their premises to Assura.
Contact our health & social care team today
