Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Access to GPs: Bracknell Forest

Tuesday 14 April 2026 · 5 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Patients must have the option to telephone or visit their practice in person.
  • The primary care utilisation and modernisation fund has 102 million to develop estate capacity.
  • We are investing in GPs and getting patients cared for appropriately through Advice and Guidance.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Peter Swallow Lab Bracknell
NHS
Context

The MP noted issues faced by residents in Bracknell Forest regarding GP access and declared his brother as a GP.

Question

What steps are being taken to improve levels of access to GPs in Bracknell Forest? Many residents find the best way to contact their GP is online or by phone, but others want to book an appointment in person. Can my hon. Friend confirm that the new GP contract guarantees patients can choose how they contact their GP?

Answer from Stephen Kinnock

Patients must have the option to telephone or visit their practice in person. Online tools are an addition, not a replacement for other methods. Expanding online access has reduced pressure on phone lines and ended the 8 am scramble.

Answered
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Q2 Peter Swallow Lab Bracknell
NHS Housing
Context

The MP reported a health survey showing difficulty in accessing GP appointments due to recent massive house building without adequate GP facilities.

Question

Will the Minister support the Liberal Democrat plan requiring all new housing developments to have GP facilities ready before residents move in?

Answer from Stephen Kinnock

The primary care utilisation and modernisation fund has £102 million to develop estate capacity, and 120 neighbourhood health centres are planned by end of Parliament. The MP should discuss this issue with their ICB for resolution.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Does not confirm backing the Lib Dem plan explicitly

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Q3 Joshua Reynolds Lib Dem Maidenhead
NHS
Context

The MP questioned the new GP contract requiring referrals through a single point of access.

Question

Under the new contract, will every clinically necessary referral be reviewed explicitly by a specialist consultant before being rejected or redirected?

Answer from Stephen Kinnock

We are investing in GPs and getting patients cared for appropriately through Advice and Guidance, which is now embedded into the core contract with predictable funding. We aim to move care from hospital into community settings.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Does not confirm or deny explicit review by specialist consultants

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Q4 Luke Evans Con Hinckley and Bosworth
NHS
Context

The MP highlighted concerns about patients being blocked from seeing specialists due to the new GP contract.

Question

Does this mean that patients will be blocked from seeing specialists, potentially assessed by non-doctors, with a target of 25% referrals rejected?

Answer from Stephen Kinnock

We have invested £80 million in Advice and Guidance which has diverted over 1.1 million requests from waiting lists, improving patient care by moving it into community settings rather than hospitals.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Does not confirm or deny blocking specialist access directly

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Q5 Luke Evans Con Hinckley and Bosworth
NHS
Context

The MP criticized the government's approach as focusing on massaging waiting lists rather than improving healthcare.

Question

Isn't this about massaging waiting lists, not improving healthcare? Patients never appear on a waiting list under new rules.

Answer from Stephen Kinnock

We have embedded Advice and Guidance into contracts, providing predictable funding. This strategy moves care from hospitals to community settings, improving overall care delivery.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Does not address waiting list manipulation directly

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