The British Medical Association (BMA), the biggest doctors' union, has backed a new government deal with GPs that will cut red tape and bring back the ‘family doctor’. The deal will free up time for doctors to do what they do best – treating patients.
The new agreed contract will modernise general practice by requiring GP surgeries to allow patients to request appointments online throughout working hours from October, freeing up the phones for those who need them most, and making it easier for practices to triage patients based on medical need. The reforms are part of the government’s Plan for Change to make general practice fit for the future and will support GPs in taking the first steps to end the 8am scramble for appointments, which so many patients currently endure every day – in turn improving access to GPs for everyone.
It has long been understood by healthcare professionals that when patients are unable to get an appointment to see their GP in a timely manner they are more likely to present at A&E, even though their condition may not warrant it. “Fixing the front door” is therefore expected to ease pressures on A&E departments, as well as other parts of the health service.
In addition, as part of the government’s plan to cut waiting lists announced earlier this year as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, GPs will be encouraged to seek specialist advice and guidance when unsure about making a referral to hospital. Up to £80 million of funding will be made available for doctors to liaise with specialist consultants, which can avoid people being added onto waiting lists unnecessarily and speed up patient care.
“Rebuilding the broken NHS starts with GPs. Patients need to be able to easily book an appointment, in the manner they want, with their regular doctor if they choose,” says Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting.
“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. 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 £889 million next year. In return, more patients will be able to request appointments online and see their regular doctor for each appointment. Through the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, we will work with GPs to rebuild the NHS and make it fit for the future.”
Also in the agreement
Other key changes include improved digital access for patients, setting out what patients can expect from their practice in a new charter and encouraging GP teams to identify patients with the greatest need that would most benefit from seeing the same clinician at every appointment.
Burdensome red tape on GPs will be reduced by scrapping unnecessary targets like those requiring practices to report on staff wellbeing meetings or to explain how they are reviewing staff access to IT systems. Under the new GP contract, nearly half of the targets (32 of 76) that GPs must report their progress against will be removed. The reforms will free up GPs from pointless box-ticking, so they can spend more time treating patients and delivering the government’s promise to bring back the family doctor.
In addition to patients being able to request GP appointments online, they will also gain clearer information about the care they can expect to receive through the online patient charter – including the services available to them – along with more consistent care as the government introduces measures bring back the family doctor. To make sure those most in need are prioritised, GPs will be incentivised to identify patients who would benefit most from seeing the same GP at every appointment, so more patients see their regular doctor each appointment.
The government says this landmark agreement – the first contract agreement reached in four years – represents a step change in relations with NHS staff to help ease workloads for GPs whilst providing better services to patients, as it rebuilds the NHS.
