Commenting on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s announcement of £82 million in funding for new GPs, Nuffield Trust Director of Research and Policy Dr Becks Fisher said:
“There has been growing concern that newly qualified GPs are unable to find NHS jobs. Having unemployed GPs when we desperately need more of them is clearly untenable - and this announcement is a positive recognition from government that urgent action is needed.
“Routing this funding through groups of GP practices known as Primary Care Networks is a pragmatic move to ensure this action can be taken quickly. But we should be clear that it is ultimately an interim solution and will likely have unintended consequences. Funding allocated through these networks doesn’t take account of levels of deprivation: this proposal risks worsening the already inequitable distribution of GPs between richer and poorer areas, and across different parts of the country.
“Government’s attention to general practice is welcome, and this workaround solution shouldn’t detract from the bigger questions about how to increase investment in general practice, and how we can retain and support the GP workforce.”
Nuffield Trust comment on new GP fund
Dr Becks Fisher responds to the announcement of £82 million in funding for new GPs.