Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Accepted
Paragraph: 33
Acknowledge general practice crisis and detail short-term steps to improve patient safety and access.
Conclusion
In response to this Report the Government and NHS England should be clear in acknowledging that there is a crisis in general practice and set out in more detail the steps they are taking in response to this crisis in the short term, to protect patient safety, strengthen continuity, improve access and reduce GP workloads.
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, agreeing to explore solutions for primary care constraints but states it does not want to duplicate ongoing work. It points to existing efforts like the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges review, the Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care, the 'Bureaucracy busting concordat', and pilots for automating administrative processes.
Paragraph Reference:
33
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Partially accept. The Department partially accepts this recommendation. We agree with the need to explore solutions to problems which constrain primary care, particularly given the high levels of demand and workforce pressures. However, we do not wish to duplicate work already underway. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges was commissioned by NHS England to undertake a review of the interface between general practice and hospitals. Its report was published on 9 May 2023, and key actionable insights are reflected in the Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care. 1 Health Education England merged with NHS England into a single organisation in March 2023, with NHSE assuming responsibility for all activities previously undertaken by HEE. We have also completed a thorough review of unnecessary bureaucracy in general practice to determine what actions the Government could take to reduce this burden on GP time, and as a result have implemented improvements such as expanding the range of healthcare professionals who can sign fit notes. In parallel, NHS England reviewed processes and non- governmental bureaucracy which impacts upon general practice. DHSC is continuing to work across government and with the NHS to implement the solutions that emerge and has published a ‘Bureaucracy busting concordat; seven principles to reduce unnecessary burdens.’ In addition, NHS England is supporting pilots testing automation of clinical administrative processes. Further detail on this work is provided in the response to recommendation 9. This recommendation also links to recommendation 10 which has been addressed separately.