DH U-turn on targeted practice funding uplift

The 2013/14 practice funding uplift will be applied to all GMS practices and not targeted at those with the lowest funding per patient, the Department of Health has announced.

The 1.32% uplift next week will be paid to all GMS practices through increasing the global sum equivalent. A further 0.15% will be added on to cover locum superannuation costs, giving an overall uplift to the global sum equivalent of 1.47%.

The DH had originally proposed applying any funding uplift differentially, to give practices with the lowest funding per patient a greater proportional uplift and to help erode practices’ dependence on the MPIG. The DH had said this would ‘narrow the funding gap between practices while providing some uplift to all practices’.

But the DH consultation response published today said: ‘For 2013/14, all practices will receive the same 1.32% contract uplift. All of this uplift will be channelled into increases into global sum equivalent payments.’