The Government’s offer of a new deal for GP practices has been given a big welcome by Margaret Mullane, Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham, as a real chance to improve health care and get back to a family doctor approach.
The financial package means an extra £889 million on top of the existing budget for GPs, the biggest boost to funding for local health services in years. It is now out to consultation with the British Medical Association. The new funding and contract proposals mean GPs will be able to spend more time treating patients under proposed reforms to general practice bringing back the family doctor and slashing red tape.
Wes Streeting MP, Health and Social Care Secretary said: “General practice is buckling under the burden of bureaucracy, with GPs filling out forms instead of treating patients. It is clear the system is broken, which is why we are slashing red tape, binning outdated performance targets, and instead freeing doctors up to do their jobs.
We promised to bring back the family doctor, but we want to be judged by results - not promises. That’s why we will incentivise GPs to ensure more and more patients see the same doctor at each appointment.
Through our Plan for Change, we are acting to fix the front door to the NHS and we have already started hiring an extra 1,000 GPs into the NHS.”
Margaret Mullane added “The last decade and more has seen a deterioration in vital health services across Dagenham and Rainham due to neglect from the last Tory Government. This is a real chance to turn the page and improve services for local people. The proposals will bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to ensure patients most in need see the same doctor at every GP appointment.”
Ruth Rankine, director of the NHS Confederation’s primary care network said: “This announcement provides the biggest investment into general practice since the end of the 5-year contract deal 2 years ago. It will provide much needed relief to a sector that has borne the brunt of low financial uplifts over the last 2 years at the same time as significant cost pressures.”
Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, of the BMA, said: "Hopefully today's news provides an important lifeline for our 6,000 plus practices."
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