How high do GPs need to jump for sustainable funding?

Deputy editor Sofia Lind on the hoops GPs have to jump through for sustainable funding

On Monday, the Government launched what it called the ‘biggest-ever conversation about the future of the NHS’.

The consultation of NHS staff and patients will inform a new 10-year plan for the service – a prescription to bring it back to health following Lord Darzi’s diagnosis of not-quite-terminal illness last month.

NHS England primary care lead Dr Amanda Doyle wrote exclusively for Pulse readers that it was the chance for overworked GPs to make their voices heard to create a ‘better’ and ‘sustainable’ future.

This is because health secretary Wes Streeting has been vocal about wanting to make a reality of the long-touted ‘left shift’ of healthcare funds – from hospitals to primary care.

As promising as that sounds, don’t hold out any delusions that any of that will come without new hoops for GPs to jump through.

To find clues to what sort of hoops, I think we need only look to the more ambitious ICBs, who have already begun trying to make progress on the Fuller-touted new models of care.

I say trying, because as North West London ICB learned with its abandoned attempt at same-day hubs earlier this year, GPs nor patients seem on board with a revamp of how to access general practice.

I suspect that’s what the Big Conversation is all about – to be able to say this is what (some of) you wanted. It is going to be integrated neighbourhood teams tasked with preventing people needing hospital, by the way.

Now I’m not arguing against GPs preventing disease, but isn’t that what you guys do already (statins, etc)? Nor neighbourhood teams (wasn’t that what the PCN project was all about?), rather the argument (repeatedly made) that reform has to take place ahead of GPs getting more funds. 

Even Lord Darzi was forced to point out that self-employed GPs already represent the most efficient part of the service (seeing as they’ve been left with little choice).

GPs, meanwhile, have indeed already been making their voices heard, clamouring for sustainable funding.

Of course, just pumping more money into this already-efficient service would be much too simple, and it runs the risk of ignoring what patients want (Madrí lager on tap in all hospitals, apparently).

So, get ready… Jump left, jump right.

Sofia Lind is deputy editor of Pulse. Follow her on Twitter at @sofialind_Pulse or email her at [email protected]