This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/21/gps-family-doctors-nhs-cash-injection-ease-growing-workloads
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| GPs set for £2.4bn cash injection to ease growing workloads | GPs set for £2.4bn cash injection to ease growing workloads |
| (4 months later) | |
| Patients will be encouraged to do more to look after their own health but will find it easier to see a nurse, pharmacist or mental health therapist at their GP surgery, under new NHS plans to relieve the strain on overworked family doctors. | Patients will be encouraged to do more to look after their own health but will find it easier to see a nurse, pharmacist or mental health therapist at their GP surgery, under new NHS plans to relieve the strain on overworked family doctors. |
| The major package of measures will be unveiled on Thursday by NHS boss Simon Stevens in order to stop GP services crumbling under what family doctors claim are unsustainable workloads and an unprecedented recruitment crisis. | The major package of measures will be unveiled on Thursday by NHS boss Simon Stevens in order to stop GP services crumbling under what family doctors claim are unsustainable workloads and an unprecedented recruitment crisis. |
| From June, stressed GPs will be able to seek help from a new £19.5m service to improve their psychological wellbeing. | From June, stressed GPs will be able to seek help from a new £19.5m service to improve their psychological wellbeing. |
| England’s 7,900 GP practices will see their budget jump by an extra £2.4bn to more than £12bn a year by 2020 to pay for the reforms, which GP leaders have said is the best news for the profession for 50 years. | England’s 7,900 GP practices will see their budget jump by an extra £2.4bn to more than £12bn a year by 2020 to pay for the reforms, which GP leaders have said is the best news for the profession for 50 years. |
| The plans are outlined in the General Practice Forward View, a blueprint for the future of GP services drawn up by Stevens, other NHS bodies and GP organisations. “As a recent British Medical Journal headline put it – ‘if general practice fails, the whole NHS fails,’” Stevens wrote. | The plans are outlined in the General Practice Forward View, a blueprint for the future of GP services drawn up by Stevens, other NHS bodies and GP organisations. “As a recent British Medical Journal headline put it – ‘if general practice fails, the whole NHS fails,’” Stevens wrote. |
| The NHS England chief executive told the Guardian that urgent action was needed to bolster GP practices in the face of rising demand and acute pressures. “They aren’t crying wolf. The pressures are real and because the risk is great, people are willing to make more radical changes than at any point in my 28 years in the NHS.” | The NHS England chief executive told the Guardian that urgent action was needed to bolster GP practices in the face of rising demand and acute pressures. “They aren’t crying wolf. The pressures are real and because the risk is great, people are willing to make more radical changes than at any point in my 28 years in the NHS.” |
| The NHS and successive governments had failed GPs, he said, by cutting funding just when an ageing population and a rise in the number of people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, depression and dementia had sparked greater need for their care. | The NHS and successive governments had failed GPs, he said, by cutting funding just when an ageing population and a rise in the number of people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, depression and dementia had sparked greater need for their care. |
| “We have under-invested in primary care, even though it’s 300 million patient visits a year and it’s absolutely essential and foundational for an equitable and cost-effective NHS,” he added. | “We have under-invested in primary care, even though it’s 300 million patient visits a year and it’s absolutely essential and foundational for an equitable and cost-effective NHS,” he added. |
| Under Stevens’ masterplan: | Under Stevens’ masterplan: |
| • More patients will use “self-care” to manage their conditions, including by online means, reducing the need to see a GP, especially those with minor illnesses and long-term conditions. | • More patients will use “self-care” to manage their conditions, including by online means, reducing the need to see a GP, especially those with minor illnesses and long-term conditions. |
| • The NHS will seek to double the number of trainee GPs recruited, which currently stands at 3,250 a year, so that the workforce will rise by 5,000 over the next five years. | • The NHS will seek to double the number of trainee GPs recruited, which currently stands at 3,250 a year, so that the workforce will rise by 5,000 over the next five years. |
| • 500 new GPs will be recruited from abroad. | • 500 new GPs will be recruited from abroad. |
| • A range of incentives, including financial benefits, will see medical graduates choosing to become a GP in under-doctored areas of England receiving bursaries of £20,000; changes made to encourage experienced GPs not to retire and also make it easier for retired family doctors to come back part-time. | • A range of incentives, including financial benefits, will see medical graduates choosing to become a GP in under-doctored areas of England receiving bursaries of £20,000; changes made to encourage experienced GPs not to retire and also make it easier for retired family doctors to come back part-time. |
| • Surgeries will get at least 5,000 more non-medical staff by 2020 who will take on a greater role in seeing patients, usually with more minor ailments, long-term conditions, mental health issues and queries about their medication. These will include 1,500 more NHS pharmacists, 3,000 mental health therapists and an unknown number of extra practice nurses, all working out of surgeries. | • Surgeries will get at least 5,000 more non-medical staff by 2020 who will take on a greater role in seeing patients, usually with more minor ailments, long-term conditions, mental health issues and queries about their medication. These will include 1,500 more NHS pharmacists, 3,000 mental health therapists and an unknown number of extra practice nurses, all working out of surgeries. |
| • Hospitals will be banned from loading too much work on to GPs – a growing trend that family doctors complain is adding significantly to their workload. | • Hospitals will be banned from loading too much work on to GPs – a growing trend that family doctors complain is adding significantly to their workload. |
| • Surgeries rated good or outstanding by the Care Quality Commission will only be inspected every five years, rather than three under the current system. | • Surgeries rated good or outstanding by the Care Quality Commission will only be inspected every five years, rather than three under the current system. |
| “Around 27% of [GP] appointments could potentially be avoided if there was more coordinated working between GPs and hospitals, wider use of primary care staff, better use of technology to streamline administrative burdens, and wider system changes,” the report says. | “Around 27% of [GP] appointments could potentially be avoided if there was more coordinated working between GPs and hospitals, wider use of primary care staff, better use of technology to streamline administrative burdens, and wider system changes,” the report says. |
| Interestingly, the document makes clear that no individual GP nor any surgery will have to offer patients seven-day access to care, despite David Cameron’s longstanding pledge that every patient in England will be able to see a GP between 8am and 8pm every day by 2020. GP bodies have long argued that the chronic, arguably worsening, shortage of GPs means that promise is unachievable. NHS England is leaving exact opening hours for GPs to agree and operate locally. | Interestingly, the document makes clear that no individual GP nor any surgery will have to offer patients seven-day access to care, despite David Cameron’s longstanding pledge that every patient in England will be able to see a GP between 8am and 8pm every day by 2020. GP bodies have long argued that the chronic, arguably worsening, shortage of GPs means that promise is unachievable. NHS England is leaving exact opening hours for GPs to agree and operate locally. |
| Dr Maureen Baker, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “This is the most significant announcement for our profession since the 1960s. We hope today’s news marks a turning point for general practice.” If the package was implemented then it would help “keep the health service sustainable by alleviating pressures across the NHS”, Baker added. | Dr Maureen Baker, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “This is the most significant announcement for our profession since the 1960s. We hope today’s news marks a turning point for general practice.” If the package was implemented then it would help “keep the health service sustainable by alleviating pressures across the NHS”, Baker added. |
| Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb, a health minister until last year, said: “The brutal truth is that this is not new money over and above the £8bn already announced and everyone recognises that it is not enough. | Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb, a health minister until last year, said: “The brutal truth is that this is not new money over and above the £8bn already announced and everyone recognises that it is not enough. |
| “My fear is that there is a massive problem in primary care here and now. GPs in Norfolk tell me that they cannot recruit and, with much of the workforce near to retirement, many practices are close to crashing. | “My fear is that there is a massive problem in primary care here and now. GPs in Norfolk tell me that they cannot recruit and, with much of the workforce near to retirement, many practices are close to crashing. |
| Barbara Keeley MP, a Labour shadow health minister, said: “Since David Cameron became prime minister, spending on general practice has been cut and GP numbers haven’t kept pace with demand. | Barbara Keeley MP, a Labour shadow health minister, said: “Since David Cameron became prime minister, spending on general practice has been cut and GP numbers haven’t kept pace with demand. |
| “The test of this plan will be whether it can undo the damage done by the last six years of Tory policies.” | “The test of this plan will be whether it can undo the damage done by the last six years of Tory policies.” |