GP funding review a positive step, but tight finances mean difficult decisions

Responding to government plans to tackle disparities in access to healthcare, Nuffield Trust Director of Research and Policy, Dr Becks Fisher said:

“People living in poorer areas get sicker younger, but general practice is under-funded and there are fewer GPs in deprived areas.

“The government has rightly recognised that tackling health inequalities will be impossible unless this is changed – and today’s announcement is a positive step.   

“The current funding formula for general practice is deeply flawed, and the Nuffield Trust and others have long called for change.[1] Since the formula was introduced in 2004, three national reviews have promised reform. This will be the fourth such promise – and the true test will be whether this new review results in meaningful change through fairer funding across general practice.  

“It’s good that the government recognises that they’ll need to make money available to realise these general practice reforms, but tight finances mean there may be some difficult decisions to weigh up. The government plans to pay for these changes by making savings in other parts of the NHS – but there is no guarantee this will be successful. Making good on today’s promises to deliver better general practice to deprived communities will mean the government has to go further than any of its predecessors and find funding to make these changes happen.”