HSJ rumours about delay to GP funding in 10 Year Health Plan must be urgently addressed

Responding to rumours published in the Health Service Journal of a delay to GP funding in the 10 Year Health Plan, Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:

“The RCGP has been very clear about what we need to see in the 10 Year health plan to ensure a thriving general practice that delivers for our patients. In our recommendations for implementing an effective 10 Year Health Plan to improve patient care (PDF file, 349 KB), two of the top things we have called for are an investment standard to shift more funding into the community each year, and a strong GP voice at all levels of decision-making about patient care for our local populations.

“For these reasons it is highly concerning to see speculation that previous commitments to transfer funding to primary and community care might be delayed until 2035. If true, this would be disastrous for patient care. We know from recent public polls that the highest priority for the public is improving access to general practice. The RCGP has not seen the draft Plan, and has not been given the opportunity to scrutinise its detail, which will significantly affect the way general practice is delivered.

“It is also critical that whatever structures are ultimately put in place to determine how community care is delivered effectively and to create ‘neighbourhood health services’, have sufficient GP representation at all levels. The Government’s ambition to ‘shift care from hospitals into the community’ will only truly be realised if it is led and shaped by primary care teams on the ground.

“We will be contacting DHSC and the Secretary of State’s team to seek clarification and reassurance on these reports.”

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.