The dramatic rise in GP workload, brought about by the latest round of changes to the GP contract, has led to a huge number of GPs at risk of burnout. Many are heading for the exit and retiring early. Bearing in mind that a  significant number of GPs are now within a few years of their normal retirement age, the exodus in the next few years is likely to be significant. And whereas in previous years GPs may have reduced their sessions gradually over a period of time, allowing the practice to retain valuable knowledge and management experience, today more GPs are choosing to retire completely. Barry Rigby has tips on how to present your practice to job seekers.

GP practices hit by cash flow problems must avoid expensive overdrafts and instead try to build up a financial reserve, writes Bob Senior

We may be six months into the NHS organisational changes but September is unlikely to see the disarray over payments to GP practices fully resolved.

Practices that were unable to save before 1 April, perhaps because of pressure from falling profits, may find themselves in a tight spot. Read more

With the first few months of the new payroll regime behind us, now is a good time to assess the issues that have arisen and predict what lies ahead. Alan Smith provides an update on the new Real Time Information payroll regime

August heralds time away from the practice for many GPs but it also brings extra workload, CQC administration and accounts meetings, writes Bob Senior, so leave some time to get your accounts sorted. Read more

AISMA vice-chairman Deborah Wood has some advice for GPs on how to keep practice accounts in the black

Many GP partners worry about the potential loss of income from the global lump sum, QOF and enhanced services, with commentators predicting that many will need to take the drastic measure of cutting their drawings. Read more

Your patient feedback questionnaire shows dissatisfaction with waiting times and access. You realise that one FTE doctor per 2,000 patients is not enough. Should you recruit a new partner? AISMA accountant Liz Densley joins the debate. Read more

The latest issue of AISMA Doctor Newsline, the newsletter for GPs and practice managers, published by the Association of Independent Specialist Medical Accountants, is published today.

With practices all over the UK straining under the burden of increased workload and falling income, this issue has some welcome advice on how to survive the difficult times ahead.

Leading practice management expert Kathie Applebee kicks off the issue with her thoughts on how practices must tackle some common profit-sapping inefficiencies if they are to survive and develop in the new NHS landscape.

Tips to ease the profit squeeze are offered by several AISMA accountants to help practices looking for new ways to boost income and cut expenses.

With a GP recruitment crisis looming, AISMA Chairman Bob Senior explains why practices that fail to give time and attention to the issue of succession planning may be storing up trouble for the future.

Finally, specialist employment law solicitor Joanne White offers a quick guide to help GPs and their practice managers follow the correct procedures if they find themselves in the unhappy position of having to make staff redundant.

AISMA Doctor Newsline is available exclusively to clients of AISMA accountants.

Doctors wishing to contact their local AISMA accountant can find details on the find an accountant page of this website.

Practice rotas often come under pressure in the summer when partners take holidays, writes Bob Senior. Could working patterns be better controlled? Read more

The reduction in the lifetime allowance for pension savings from £1.5 million to £1.25 million announced in December 2012 could affect GPs who may have built up pension savings in excess of the limit. Some relief will be available though and on 10 June HM Treasury published a consultation document setting out how a new regime for protecting pension savings against tax charges is likely to work. Here AISMA accountant Luke Bennett summarises a new scheme to protect GPs’ pensions from the lifetime allowance charge. Read more

AISMA accountant Luke Bennett explains how new rules might disadvantage GPs using corporate partner arrangements.

In the Chancellor’s Budget speech on 20 March, George Osborne announced that he wanted to bring in new legislation ‘to stop the abuse of partnership rules’. HM Revenue & Customs have now issued a consultation document setting out the proposed changes to the tax rules on partnerships, with the intention that the changes will take effect from 6 April 2014. The proposals will result in a crackdown on GP partnerships that include a corporate member. Read more