Ninth Special Report - The future of general practice: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report

This is the government's response, published 24 July 2023.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government welcomes the Committee's report and responds to each recommendation, accepting some, partially accepting most and not accepting others.

• It accepts recommendations on distributing GP trainees more equitably, receptionist training and simplifying the patient interface across Integrated Care Systems; it also accepts the call for more back-office organisational support for GPs.
• It "partially accepts" the call for 1,000 more GP training places a year and a four-year scheme: the Long Term Workforce Plan sets an "ambition" to rise from 4,000 to 6,000 places by 2031/32, and there is "no plan to extend GP training beyond three years".
• It does not accept the recommendations to return to personal lists, to cap list sizes, or to fund PCN continuity leads, saying PCNs and practices are best placed to decide their own workforce and approach.
• On a national continuity measure it will "consider how best to measure continuity of care" but says it "would not therefore be appropriate to commit to introducing a measure by 2024".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error