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| GPs in England strike deal to help end '8am scramble' for appointments | GPs in England strike deal to help end '8am scramble' for appointments |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The BMA and ministers have been negotiating the details of a new contract for the past months | The BMA and ministers have been negotiating the details of a new contract for the past months |
| Patients will be able to book more appointments online and request to see their usual doctor under a new contract agreed with England's GPs, the government has said. | Patients will be able to book more appointments online and request to see their usual doctor under a new contract agreed with England's GPs, the government has said. |
| The deal gives an extra £889m a year to general practices, as well as a reduction in red tape and targets that ministers hope will mean doctors are freed up to see more patients. | The deal gives an extra £889m a year to general practices, as well as a reduction in red tape and targets that ministers hope will mean doctors are freed up to see more patients. |
| The Labour government made manifesto promises to bring back "family" doctors and end the early morning phone "scramble" for appointments. | The Labour government made manifesto promises to bring back "family" doctors and end the early morning phone "scramble" for appointments. |
| The doctors' union, the BMA, says the deal is an important first step in restoring general practices. | The doctors' union, the BMA, says the deal is an important first step in restoring general practices. |
| However, doctors also want the government to commit to talks about a completely new national contract for GPs within this Parliament. | However, doctors also want the government to commit to talks about a completely new national contract for GPs within this Parliament. |
| GP surgeries are seen as the front door to the NHS, but for years now, doctors have been warning about the pressure their service is under. | GP surgeries are seen as the front door to the NHS, but for years now, doctors have been warning about the pressure their service is under. |
| Patients have felt it too, with some people facing long waits for appointments. | Patients have felt it too, with some people facing long waits for appointments. |
| Now it is hoped extra money agreed in the new contract for GP surgeries will kick-start improvements. | Now it is hoped extra money agreed in the new contract for GP surgeries will kick-start improvements. |
| More money to cover rising costs | More money to cover rising costs |
| The new agreement for the next 2025-26 financial year will see the total value of the contract grow by 7.2%. | The new agreement for the next 2025-26 financial year will see the total value of the contract grow by 7.2%. |
| The total figure includes almost £800m to cover rising costs, such as staff wages, repairs and maintenance of buildings and more patients. | The total figure includes almost £800m to cover rising costs, such as staff wages, repairs and maintenance of buildings and more patients. |
| Other measures include a greater flexibility for surgeries when it comes to employing different healthcare staff. | Other measures include a greater flexibility for surgeries when it comes to employing different healthcare staff. |
| GPs will get paid more to carry out routine childhood vaccinations. | GPs will get paid more to carry out routine childhood vaccinations. |
| Through cutting what the government describes as "box-ticking targets", ministers say GPs will be freed up to take the first steps towards ending the "8am scramble" for an appointment. | |
| Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting says that these are the first steps in fixing what he describes as "a broken NHS". | Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting says that these are the first steps in fixing what he describes as "a broken NHS". |
| "Over the past decade, funding for GPs has been cut relative to the rest of the NHS, while the number of targets for GPs has soared," he said. | "Over the past decade, funding for GPs has been cut relative to the rest of the NHS, while the number of targets for GPs has soared," he said. |
| "That's why patients are struggling to get an appointment. | "That's why patients are struggling to get an appointment. |
| "This government is cutting the red tape that ties up GPs' time and backing them with an extra £889m next year. | "This government is cutting the red tape that ties up GPs' time and backing them with an extra £889m next year. |
| "In return, more patients will be able to request appointments online and see their regular doctor for each appointment." | "In return, more patients will be able to request appointments online and see their regular doctor for each appointment." |
| Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, who chairs the BMA GPs' committee, says this contract is a good start, but more work is needed. | Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, who chairs the BMA GPs' committee, says this contract is a good start, but more work is needed. |
| "We have shown that we want to work in good faith with this government and build on this new beginning – what we now need is certainty about our collective future. | "We have shown that we want to work in good faith with this government and build on this new beginning – what we now need is certainty about our collective future. |
| "We know the Treasury will be announcing its funding plans for this Parliament this spring, and we need to see a new substantive GP practice contract for England in the upcoming comprehensive spending review. | "We know the Treasury will be announcing its funding plans for this Parliament this spring, and we need to see a new substantive GP practice contract for England in the upcoming comprehensive spending review. |
| "This is how government can put its words into action and bring back the family doctor, fix the front door of the NHS, and shift resource from a hospital focus towards care closer to home within the community at your local surgery. | "This is how government can put its words into action and bring back the family doctor, fix the front door of the NHS, and shift resource from a hospital focus towards care closer to home within the community at your local surgery. |
| "We hope government seizes this once-in-a-generation opportunity and repays the trust we are placing in them to do the right thing by England's GPs, and by their patients." | "We hope government seizes this once-in-a-generation opportunity and repays the trust we are placing in them to do the right thing by England's GPs, and by their patients." |