Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Rejected
Paragraph: 62
Need to encourage locum GPs back into regular employment with flexible patterns.
Conclusion
As part of ongoing efforts to improve the retention of GPs, NHS England should include a specific focus on encouraging locum GPs back into regular employment by supporting GP practices to offer more flexible working patterns.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government rejects the recommendation, stating that continuity should be balanced with other PCN expectations, and PCNs should be empowered to make their own workforce decisions rather than having top-down requirements.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
62
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government · verbatim extract
Rejected
Partially accept. We recognise the importance of retention in growing the GP workforce, and partially accept this recommendation. To support retention, NHS England have in place the National GP Retention Scheme. This scheme is a package of financial and educational support to help doctors remain in clinical general practice. As GPs are independent contractors it is the responsibility of GP partnerships, supported by the Royal College of GPs and the British Medical Association, to review their working conditions and consider what would attract salaried GPs or new partners. NHS England has provided funding to support newly qualified GPs into regular employment. This includes career coaching through the Looking After Your Career scheme, and the General Practice Fellowship Programme. The Fellowship Programme guarantees the opportunity for every newly qualified GP entering general practice to receive funded mentorship, funded continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities of one session per week, and rotational placements within or across Primary Care Networks to develop their experience and support their transition into the workforce in a local area. We recognise that flexible working can often be a reason for GPs choosing to become locums. NHS England is exploring how primary care organisations can practically embed the principles of flexible working. The Institute of Employment Studies—commissioned by NHS England—have recently completed research on job crafting in general practice and published a report with six case studies illustrating examples of where practices are working innovatively to support improved flexible working opportunities for staff.
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