Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 37
37
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 124
Unfair primary care funding mechanisms exacerbate pressures in deprived areas and entrench regional variation.
Conclusion
It is unacceptable that areas already under significant pressure due to high levels of deprivation, ill health and under-doctoring have these pressures compounded by unfair funding mechanisms which fail to take account of deprivation. It is particularly concerning that new funding mechanisms in the Primary Care Network contract repeat this failing and risk entrenching regional variation in the establishment of PCNs.
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, acknowledging that NHS England keeps funding mechanisms like the Carr-Hill formula under review for appropriate weighting, but clarifies it will not be changed during the current five-year contract.
Paragraph Reference:
124
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Partially Accept. The Department partially accepts this recommendation. GP practices receive funding from a range of sources, including those distributed according to the Carr-Hill Formula and funding delivered to Primary Care Networks. NHS England keeps funding mechanisms such as the Carr-Hill formula under review to ensure they remain appropriately weighted for different components, including deprivation. As agreed with the British Medical Association in 2019, the Carr-Hill formula will not be changed for the duration of the five-year contract framework. The agreed investment envelope is fixed, providing funding clarity and certainty to practices until the end of 2023/24.