Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

GP Appointments: Chesterfield, Derbyshire and England

Tuesday 24 January 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Toby Perkins raised concerns about the adequacy of GP appointment availability in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and England.
  • The Minister reported a 16.6% increase in GP appointments in Derby and Derbyshire compared to November before the pandemic.
  • Maggie Throup noted an increase of 133 full-time equivalent clinical staff in general practice in south Derbyshire since 2015.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Toby Perkins Lab Chesterfield
NHS
Context

There are concerns about the adequacy of GP appointments in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and England, affecting patient access to healthcare services.

Question

I am concerned about the adequacy of GP appointment availability in (a) Chesterfield constituency, (b) Derbyshire, and (c) England. I want an assessment of whether these areas are adequately served by general practitioners given current demand and health needs.

Answer from Neil O'Brien

In November, there were 13.9% more appointments in general practice across England as a whole than in the same month before the pandemic. In Derby and Derbyshire, there were 16.6% more appointments. Our GPs are doing more than ever, and compared with 2015-16, we are investing a fifth more in real terms. But we know that demand is unprecedented, and we are working to further support our hard-working GPs.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific assessment requested on the adequacy of GP appointments was not provided.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Toby Perkins Lab Chesterfield
NHS
Context

There are significant disparities in GP appointment availability between deprived and affluent areas, with more patients per doctor in deprived regions.

Question

I thank the Minister for that answer. We know there are GP appointment difficulties everywhere, but it is much harder in deprived communities. The Social Market Foundation research shows GPs in more deprived areas have twice as many patients on their books compared to affluent areas. Why should patients in deprived areas tolerate greater difficulties in getting appointments?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

In Derby and Derbyshire, for example, there are 495 more doctors and other patient-facing staff than in 2019. Step one is to have more clinicians, which we are doing through investment. The hon. Member raises a point about Carr-Hill and the funding formula underlying general practice. There is actually heavy weighting for deprivation. Funding is driven by health need, which is also heavily driven by age.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific disparities in GP appointment availability between deprived and affluent communities were not directly addressed with a commitment or plan to improve the situation.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Maggie Throup Con
NHS
Context

In South Derbyshire, there are more full-time equivalent clinical staff in general practice than in 2015. The goal is to ensure patients use the most suitable healthcare professionals.

Question

In south Derbyshire, there are now 133 more full-time equivalent clinical staff in general practice than in 2015. This includes nurses, physios and clinical pharmacists. What more is my hon. Friend doing to encourage people to book an appointment with the most appropriate healthcare professional?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

That is an excellent question. As well as having 495 extra staff across Derby and Derbyshire, it is crucial that we use them effectively by having good triage. We are getting NHS England to financially support GPs to move over to better appointment systems for effective phone calls and triage.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific measures to encourage appropriate healthcare appointments were not detailed with a clear commitment or plan.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)