More GPs pledge 'good news for patients' but devil will be in the detail - College responds to Spending Review

Responding to announcements in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:

“Today’s Comprehensive Spending Review shows the Government understands how much the NHS means to patients. The announcement of funding for ‘thousands’ more GPs by 2028/29 will be good news for patients across the county, setting a path for improving access to general practice.

“While we would argue that the family doctor has not gone anywhere, with our members harder than ever to provide care at the heart of communities, there is no denying that general practice is in crisis – we are overstretched, underfunded and understaffed. Over a million appointments will be delivered today in general practice, but for decades we haven’t had the workforce, or the funding, needed to fix the front door of the NHS.

“This commitment to more GPs could help deliver the government’s commitment to move care out of hospitals and into the community, bolstering GP services to deliver care close to home where it’s most cost effective and best for patients. But, of course, we now need to see more detail - both in terms of funding and workforce numbers.

“We also need to ensure that, if training places do increase, that there are the jobs available at the end. At the moment, we are facing a nonsensical situation where GPs are leaving training and struggling to find an appropriate role in the NHS.

“There is also the question of infrastructure. A recent College survey found that 84% of general practice staff said a lack of physical space limits their practice’s ability to take on additional GP trainees. So, whilst it was encouraging to see the Government recognise the need to invest in the primary care estate, we need to be realistic about how far the money set aside for capital spending will stretch.

“We are keen to work with the Government ahead of the 10 Year Health Plan and the revised NHS Long-Term Workforce plan, looking at how to effectively bring more care into the community and deliver the safe and timely care our patients deserve.”

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editors

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.