Emergency GP scheme to be funded beyond March, says Streeting

Funding to hire GPs via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) ‘will continue beyond March’ next year, the health secretary has confirmed, however PCN clinical directors still have reservations about the scheme.

Speaking at the RCGP conference last week, Wes Streeting was asked to give newly qualified GPs ‘reassurance’ about ‘secure employment’. 

He told audience members that the extra £82m released to hire 1,000 recently qualified GPs via the ARRS will continue into the next financial year, in order to provide ‘certainty and stability’. 

The expansion of the ARRS was introduced by Mr Streeting as an ‘emergency measure’ to tackle GP unemployment. Full details of the scheme were not shared until last week when the updated PCN DES was published.

However, even though the funding will be extended, it still does not address some of the concerns raised by PCN clinical directors.

Dr Tom Holdsworth, clinical director of Townships 1 PCN and Chair of Sheffield PCN clinical directors, said his PCN would ‘probably’ employ a GP through ARRS.

But, he added: ‘The salary won’t be covered because of the way the pay is capped and we will have to subsidise using other funds. We will likely try and recruit to a role working across the PCN as this seems the way we could make it work.’

Dr Laura Mount, clinical director at Central and West Warrington PCN also called the maximum reimbursable amount a ‘major issue’ last week.

While Dr Sarit Ghosh, clinical director at Enfield Unity PCN, recently told Pulse PCN that the restrictions on the role were ‘prohibitive’ and the timings and minimum term ‘slightly opaque’.

Last week, NHS England also confirmed that the increases to reimbursable amounts for ARRS staff would be in line with the 5.5% Agenda for Change pay increases announced earlier this year. However, networks will need to find the money for these uplifts within their existing 2024/25 budgets.