Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

GP Appointments

Tuesday 6 June 2023 · 8 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • We have recruited 26,000 extra clinicians a year earlier than planned.
  • We are investing 645 million in Pharmacy First service and 60,000 per practice for new IT systems.
  • The number of direct patient-facing staff in general practice is 50% higher than in 2019.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gordon Henderson Con
NHS
Context

The MP is concerned about the progress made on increasing GP appointments.

Question

What progress has been made in my Department to increase the number of available GP appointments?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

We have recruited 26,000 extra clinicians a year earlier than planned. Additionally, there are 29,000 more extra clinicians in GP surgeries and nearly 2,000 more doctors since 2019. We will increase the training of GPs to up from about 2,600 to 4,000 a year through our primary care recovery plan.

Answered
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Q2 Gordon Henderson Con
NHS
Context

The MP is concerned about the lack of GPs in his constituency despite initiatives to increase GP appointments.

Question

Sittingbourne and Sheppey still has one of the highest patient to GP ratios. What help can my local ICB get so they can provide more GPs for my constituents?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

We are investing £645 million in Pharmacy First service and £60,000 per practice for new IT systems. We have also increased GP training numbers and aim to build on that further.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify how help will be given directly to local ICBs or a timeline for more GPs in the constituency

How: Will Go Further

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Q3 Debbie Abrahams Lab Oldham East and Saddleworth
NHS
Context

The MP is concerned about the lack of GPs in her constituency despite promises made by the Conservative Party.

Question

Can you clarify when Oldham will receive its share of the 6,000 additional GPs promised in the manifesto?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

The number of direct patient-facing staff in general practice is 50% higher than in 2019, and we will grow the number of clinicians in general practice further.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify when Oldham would receive its share or how many GPs it would get yet

How: Will Go Further

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Q4 Matt Warman Con
Immigration NHS
Context

The MP is concerned about the extension of visas for international medical graduates.

Question

Will the extension of visas be automatic for the 1,000 or so graduates coming in June and August?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

The extension of visas will be automatic to ensure that these highly qualified GPs can work in the NHS with extra time for placement.

Answered
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Q5 Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale
NHS Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP is concerned about the net loss of GPs last year, attributing it to the removal of minimum practice income guarantee.

Question

Will the Minister consider reintroducing a strategic small surgeries fund for rural communities?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

The funding formula already takes account of rurality, and we have nearly 10% more appointments than before the pandemic. GPs are working incredibly hard with extra staff support.

Not addressed: Did not address whether a strategic small surgeries fund would be reintroduced

How: Funding Formula Already Takes Account Of Rurality

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Q6 Paul Bristow
NHS
Context

The MP is concerned about how admin and support staff can better use their time.

Question

How can we maximise the time doctors spend at the top of their licences?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

We are learning from inspirational work in constituencies, focusing GPs' time on tasks only they can do. This includes investment in additional roles and improving communication between hospitals and GPs.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific measures or timeline for how this would be implemented

How: Learning From Inspirational Work

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Q7 Patricia Gibson SNP
NHS Brexit
Context

The MP is concerned about the impact of Brexit on NHS staff shortages.

Question

Is Brexit a success story regarding the shortage of NHS staff?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

International recruitment is up, with 38,000 more doctors and 54,000 more nurses since 2010. We are taking steps to draw on international talent for NHS staffing growth.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address whether Brexit is a success story regarding staff shortages

How: International Recruitment Is Up

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Q8 Karin Smyth Lab Bristol South
NHS
Context

Concerns raised by constituents in Bristol, Oldham, and Sittingbourne about the inability to speak with a GP. GPs warn of potential workforce cuts or closures due to rising demand and costs.

Question

People are fed up with not being able to speak with a GP when they need to. GPs are warning that rising demand and increased costs may lead to workforce cuts or even closures. They are fed up with the bamboozling of numbers—more of which we have heard this morning—whether on GPs, full-time trainees, locums and now appointments. Whatever the metric, how many more GPs or GP appointments do they think are necessary for people to access the care that they need?

Answer from Neil O'Brien

We committed in our manifesto to increasing the number and availability of appointments by 50 million. We are well on our way to meeting that target, as we had 10% more appointments in the year to April than in the year before the pandemic. That is the result of the additional staffing that we are putting in: the extra 29,000 other clinicians and the nearly 2,000 more doctors in general practice. We have made that investment, but the reason why GPs are doing more appointments is not just that we have provided a fifth more funding since 2017 up to 2021; it is also that GP teams are working incredibly hard.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific number of additional GPs or GP appointments needed was not addressed directly.

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