Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Access to Primary Care

Tuesday 7 January 2025 · 7 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 5 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Nesil Caliskan raised concerns about insufficient GP services in Barking, particularly in the Barking Riverside area.
  • Alistair Strathern welcomed the Government's focus on ensuring adequate GP provision, attributing the current crisis partly to underinvestment under the previous government.
  • Claire Hazelgrove highlighted the challenge her constituents face in booking GP appointments, questioning the Secretary of State about plans to improve this issue.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Nesil Caliskan Lab Barking
NHS
Context

The constituency of Barking faces significant under-provision of GP services, with each GP serving an average of 2,000 patients compared to the national average of 1,600. The area of Barking Riverside lacks GP services despite housing developments.

Question

I am concerned about my constituency of Barking being woefully under-served by primary healthcare, especially in terms of GPs where each serves an average of 2,000 patients compared to the national average of 1,600. The area of Barking Riverside has no GP services despite housing developments. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss this matter so that thousands of new homes will also have a primary healthcare facility on site?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

I would be delighted for my hon. Friend to meet me or the relevant Minister. The NHS has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient services in each local area, including general practice, and it is vital that we also take into account population growth and demographic changes. I strongly support the Deputy Prime Minister’s commitment to delivering 1.5 million new homes and she and I know that this must be accompanied by local healthcare facilities. We are working together to achieve just that.

Answered
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Q2 Alistair Strathern Lab Hitchin
NHS
Context

The previous government's failure to ensure that primary care investment kept pace with housing growth has exacerbated the crisis in GP provision. The last Government allocated a low share of integrated care board capital funding to primary care.

Question

I welcome this Government’s focus on making sure everyone can see a GP when they need one. The crisis in GP provision nationally has been exacerbated by the failure under the last Government to ensure that primary care investment kept pace with housing growth. With such a low share of integrated care board capital funding allocated to primary care, how can we make sure GP capacity expands at the same time as local growth?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

We must make sure that additional housing—which is desperately needed—is accompanied by health and care services. The Deputy Prime Minister and I are working together to achieve just that, thanks to the decisions taken by the Chancellor in the Budget, we are able to invest in the health and care services this country needs.

Answered
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Q3 Calum Miller Lib Dem Bicester and Woodstock
NHS
Context

The Woodstock surgery in Calum Miller's constituency is not fit for purpose, with the roof collapsing due to heavy rain. The practice sees patients in a broom cupboard and needs capital funding from the integrated care board.

Question

Woodstock surgery in my constituency is not fit for purpose; staff see patients in a broom cupboard following roof collapse caused by heavy rain. GPs want to increase capacity but cannot access sufficient capital from ICBs. Will the Secretary of State meet me and Woodstock GPs to discuss building a new surgery, so they can see more patients faster?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

I am grateful for the question. We are looking creatively at this issue due to enormous capital pressures right across the NHS estate, regularly lobbied on hospitals, general practice, mental health, etc. We will do as much as we can as fast as we can to get more capital investment in and would be happy to discuss further with the hon. Member.

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Q4 Layla Moran Lib Dem Oxford West and Abingdon
NHS
Context

Summertown health centre operates in an old Victorian building, desperate to move to new premises but lacking sufficient capital from the ICB.

Question

Following my hon. Friend’s theme, may I make a plea for Summertown health centre? They are my doctors and operate in an old Victorian building. The ICB says there is no money, and doctors say they cannot bid into any pot to get it seen to. Will the Secretary of State meet me as well? Clearly £102 million spread across 50 projects is not sufficient.

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

Of course I will meet the hon. Lady. We are looking creatively at this issue due to enormous capital pressures right across the NHS estate, regularly lobbied on hospitals, general practice, mental health, etc. We will do as much as we can as fast as we can to get more capital investment in and would be happy to discuss further with the hon. Lady.

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Q5 Claire Hazelgrove Lab Filton and Bradley Stoke
NHS
Context

Residents frequently raise the challenge in booking a GP appointment as an issue, often involving early morning phone scrambles.

Question

When I am out regularly knocking on doors and listening to people across my constituency, one of the issues residents raise most frequently is the challenge even being able to book a GP’s appointment. Could the Secretary of State please set out what his plans are for ending that 8 am phone scramble?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

We are determined to make sure accessing NHS services, including general practice, is as easy and convenient at the touch of a button via smartphones. We have committed in the elective reform plan to bring benefits right across the NHS as we modernise, while also ensuring patient choice for those who may not be digitally connected.

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Q6 Luke Evans Con Hinckley and Bosworth
NHS
Context

The British Medical Association is advising GPs to stop engaging with the e-Referral Advice & Guidance pathway. Dr Evans raises concerns about the current legal framework's accountability for clinicians making requests for specialist advice.

Question

GPs use advice and guidance when they have come to the summit of their knowledge and need specialist input, such as asking a rheumatologist for blood tests after seeing a rheumatology patient. The problem is that the GP is legally responsible for those blood tests and has to pay for them out of the primary care budget. Will the £20 payment cover subsequent follow-ups and the cost of suggested tests? Given the expansion of advice and guidance, will the Government be looking at a legal framework change in accountability?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

We are looking at giving GPs the tools to do the job in managing more patients in the community. The Government is committed to reform, and my hon. Friend the Minister for Care will be talking to the BMA shortly in the context of contract negotiations.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific request regarding legal framework changes was not addressed.

How: Changing Subject

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Q7 Helen Morgan Lib Dem North Shropshire
NHS
Context

An estimated 5 million people in England have been left without an NHS dentist. Today, a petition signed by more than a quarter of a million people is being handed in at Downing Street demanding improvements to access.

Question

There are currently no plans or timetable for the negotiations of a new NHS dental contract and rolling out another 700,000 urgent appointments as promised. Can the Secretary of State confirm when these negotiations will begin? What specifically are the Government’s plans for the patient premium, and can he offer assurances to dentists that any changes to the current model will be detailed to them in advance?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

We are determined to deliver the 700,000 urgent appointments as fast as possible. The Minister for Care is having discussions with the British Dental Association regarding these appointments. We are also looking closely at how money could be better spent in NHS dentistry and addressing consistent underspends that occurred under previous governments.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific timetable and details of changes to the patient premium were not provided.

How: Changing Subject

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