In response to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, our CEO-Designate, said:
“Having more funding coming into general practice is a positive step towards undoing the decline of the last two decades, but to restore services to the level patients want to receive, and GPs aspire to offer, investment needs to be stepped up. The funding reiterated today will help to stem decline and aid retention, but we need more to deliver the growth and development needed to meet the aspirational goals of the 10 Year Plan.
“London GPs want the Government to make sure that “a greater proportion of its funding is spent in the community, in line with its own policy ambition”, as recently set out by the Public Accounts Committee. Transferring funding to general practice for delivery of preventative and proactive care is a highly efficient way of reducing the number of people who become ill enough to need hospital care, easing the strain across the whole health system.”
“As the open front door of the NHS, GPs are increasingly being expected to act as social workers, housing officers and occupational health advisors. Cuts in public services have led to rising numbers of patients bringing problems to their GP that are not primarily medical. With stalled workforce growth and record numbers of appointments being provided, the Government needs to be careful that it’s economy measures do not have unintended consequences for GPs’ already stretched workload.”