Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Deferred
Paragraph: 34
Commission a review into short-term problems constraining primary care, including IT and administrative tasks.
Recommendation
The Government should commission a review into short-term problems that constrain primary care including, but not limited to: the interface between primary and secondary care, prescribing from signing to dispensing, administrative tasks e.g. reports and sick notes, day-to-day usability of IT hardware and software, and reviewing of bloods, pathology and imaging reports.
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation but shifts focus entirely from commissioning a review into short-term operational problems to discussing increases in GP speciality training places and changes to training duration (from 18 to 24 months in general practice).
Paragraph Reference:
34
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
Partially accept. The Department partially accepts this recommendation. The Department recognises the importance of the future pipeline of GPs, which is critical for growing the number of doctors in general practice. This is why we have taken steps to expand the number of GP speciality training places to 4,000 per year from 2021 (increased from under 2,700 in 2014), with a record-breaking 4,032 doctors accepting a place on GP speciality training this year. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan has set an ambition to increase the number of GP training places by 50% from 4,000 to 6,000 by 2031/32, with the first 500 new places available from September 2025. To give doctors in GP training more time to develop their skills in general practice, we are increasing the proportion of the training programme spent in general practice, from 18 to 24 months (reducing the time that trainees spend outside general practice to 12 months). This will grow the number of doctors in general practice providing direct patient care, and better prepare doctors for their career in general practice. The General Practice Fellowship scheme also provides a two-year programme of support for all newly qualified GPs working in general practice. Participants receive an experienced GP mentor and funded continuous professional development opportunities to develop experience and support their transition into the general practice workforce. There is no plan to extend GP training beyond three years. We recognise that skills required to enter partnership are important for recruiting more GP partners. However, GP specialty training is not the appropriate setting for aspiring partners to develop the skills required to enter GP partnerships, as this could delay doctors completing training and taking a substantive role in general practice. In addition, it may not be suitable for all doctors in training, particularly as it could dissuade some doctors from undertaking GP training. Primary care training hubs can direct qualified GPs to local training opportunities, as they do more broadly for all practice and PCN staff.