The future of General Practice

Health and Social Care Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 16 Nov 2021 Closed: 24 Jul 2023 Parliament page
The Committee has launched a new inquiry to explore the future of NHS general practice, examining the key challenges facing general practice over the next five years as well as the biggest current and ongoing barriers to access to general practice. General practice has seen significant changes in recent years, … Read more
20 Recommendations
25 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
2 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
24 Jul
2023
Report published
11 Jan
2023
Correspondence
20 Oct
2022
Report published
6 Sep
2022
Correspondence
12 Jul
2022
Oral evidence
12 Jul
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
14 Jun
2022
Oral evidence
14 Jun
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
18 May
2022
Oral evidence
18 May
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
15 Mar
2022
Oral evidence
15 Mar
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
12 Jul 2022
View on parliament.uk
Dr Amanda Doyle · NHS England Dr Nikki Kanani · NHS England James Morris MP · Department of Health and Social Care Matthew Style · Department of Health and Social Care
14 Jun 2022
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Beccy Baird · King's Fund Dr Margaret Ikpoh · Royal College of General Practitioners Dr Peter Holden · Imperial Road Surgery Mrs Heather Randle · Royal College of Nursing Professor Mike Holmes · Haxby Group Sir Robert Francis QC · HealthWatch England
18 May 2022
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Dr Jacob Lee · Horfield Health Centre Dr Kate Sidaway-Lee · St Leonard's Medical Practice Dr Pauline Grant · Cheviot Road Surgery Dr Rebecca Rosen · Nuffield Trust Professor Steinar Hunskår · University of Bergen
15 Mar 2022
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Dr Andrew Green, Retired GP Dr Becks Fisher · The Health Foundation Dr Kate Fallon · Somerton House Surgery Dr Kieran Sharrock · British Medical Association (BMA) Professor Martin Marshall · Royal College of General Practitioners
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - The future of general practice HC 113 20 Oct 2022 45 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
7 results
Clear
33 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Fourth Report - The future of gene…
Current general practice targets and incentives are overly bureaucratic, failing to improve outcomes.
Accountability and quality improvement are both extremely important in the NHS but it is clear that the current system of targets and incentives in general practice is overly bureaucratic, is not having the desired effect on outcomes, and will not … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, committing to a 25% reduction in QOF indicators and a reduction of IIF indicators from 36 to 5 for 2023/24. It will formally consult on the future of QOF and engage on IIF reform during 2023/24.
Department of Health and Social Care
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34 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Fourth Report - The future of gene…
Imperative for NHS England to abolish QOF/IIF, reinvesting funds into core contract.
NHS England should abolish the Quality and Outcomes Framework and Impact and Investment Framework and re-invest the funding in the core contract, weighted to account for patient demographics including deprivation, to incentivise continuity of care.
Government Response
The government partially accepts, stating that for 2023/24 there will be a 25% reduction in QOF indicators and the IIF will be reduced from 36 to 5. It will formally consult on the future of QOF during 2023/24 and engage with stakeholders on IIF reform.
Department of Health and Social Care
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35 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Fourth Report - The future of gene…
Need for NHS England to improve GP outcomes data, focusing on key measures.
In particular, NHS England should focus on significantly improving the outcomes data provided to GPs by focusing data collection and analytical resource on outcomes measures rather than the process data and reporting required by these micro- incentives. Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, committing to explore ways to strengthen outcomes data collection and monitoring during a 2023/24 consultation on the Quality and Outcomes Framework, while also stating the importance of process data.
Department of Health and Social Care
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36 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Fourth Report - The future of gene…
NHS England's role supporting ICSs to implement gain sharing for reduced secondary care.
NHS England should support Integrated Care Systems to implement gain sharing so that Primary Care Networks and individual practices that support the reduction of secondary care expenditure, such as through reducing unplanned admissions, are able to share in the financial … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, committing to provide "light touch support" like sharing case studies for gain sharing, but notes difficulties in proving causality for direct financial transfers. They also state work is ongoing to explore additional opportunities to reward primary care.
Department of Health and Social Care
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42 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Fourth Report - The future of gene…
Reaffirm Government commitment to GP partnership model and detail support for its future.
In response to this Report the Government should reaffirm its commitment to maintaining the GP partnership model and explain how it will take forward our recommendations to better support the partnership model, alongside ongoing work to enable other models of … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation, reaffirming no policy to abolish the GP partnership model and highlighting existing investments to support general practice, while also expressing a desire to support a range of primary care provision models.
Department of Health and Social Care
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43 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Fourth Report - The future of gene…
GP premises remain a significant burden, hindering retention and undermining patient care.
Despite the risk associated with GP premises continuing to be a significant burden on existing GP partners and a barrier to entry for potential new partners, little progress appears to have been made on this issue. Until the Government grips … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, agreeing to undertake analysis of the GP estate and consider alternative models. They will also update planning guidance to ensure primary care infrastructure is referenced and considered in new developments.
Department of Health and Social Care
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44 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Fourth Report - The future of gene…
Consider adopting Scottish GP premises model and increase investment in general practice estate.
The Government should consider adopting the approach to GP premises taken in Scotland and conduct its own analysis of whether this would be viable for general practice in England. More widely the Government must make additional investment available for the … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, declining to adopt the Scottish approach due to stakeholder views, but commits to undertaking analysis of the GP estate and considering alternative models. They will also update planning guidance to support primary care infrastructure in new developments.
Department of Health and Social Care
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Government Response AI assessment · 45 of 20 classified
Accepted 11
Accepted in Part 7
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 18
Rejected 6
Total 20 recs + 25 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
11 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Primary Care and Public Health (HSCC Report - The Future of General Practice) 23.12.22
Parliament page
6 Sep 2022 Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Primary Care and Patient Safety on the Future of General Practice dated 28.08.22
Parliament page