By Brett Farrell and Katie Hill
I rarely encounter a client who is not worried. It's part of my job as a lawyer, believe it or not, to try to calm my clients and allay their fears, and not simply extract cash from their wallets.

Are consortia fully aware of what their legal obligations will be when securing GP commissioning support and purchasing care for patients? What will be the effect of EU competition law on patient care? Dr Rupert Dunbar-Rees and Robert McGough explore the choice and competition issues facing GP commissioners.

The BMA, in partnership with the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and the Department of Health, launched "Ethical Procurement for Health" a practical online toolkit to help UK health organisations improve the working conditions in which goods for the NHS are produced.

The Health and Social Care Bill is working its way through Parliament. The current break in Parliamentary proceedings on the health bill has given an opportunity to 'pause' and listen to opinion on the reforms which will be far reaching. Phil Walton at Mundays Solicitors LLP looks at some of the potential implications.

The last few weeks have seen a sharp debate about how far GPs will be able to share profits made from improved GP Commissioning. Media stories of profit sharing structures with profits being creamed off by GPs and private sector partners have added fuel to the debate about the new role of GPs.

How much do GPs now know about what's in store for them? Well, a fairly light touch approach to the running and governance of GP consortia is indicated by the Health and Social Care Bill - no minimum size is specified, no mandatory requirement to have a board or even to include patient representatives. Tougher regulations could follow.

Procurement. Frequently misunderstood and at times complex, procurement rules are perceived by some as onerous and restrictive. But are they really all that bad? Fiona Boyse Associate in the health group of law firm Mills & Reeve LLP, tries to unravel the procurement process.

Fiona Boyse, Associate in the health group of law firm Mills & Reeve LLP, offers a legal insight into the reforms.

As the Coalition's proposals to hand over NHS commissioning to GPs start to shape up, the monumental scale of what is being asked to take on is becoming clearer. The new found freedom, access and control offers huge opportunities, but GPs also face the spectre of navigating their way through a complex and murky regulatory landscape.
Specialist healthcare lawyer Roy Botterill, outlines just some of the key issues practices need to consider.

Tackling poor performance is a key concern in these recession hit times and can be hugely costly for employers, as underperformance can have a huge impact on an organisation's effectiveness, and on staff retention and morale.