Stuart Anderson MP has welcomed a new plan to transform primary care and make it easier for patients to see their GP by freeing up 10 million appointments and ending the ‘8 am rush’ for appointments. Stuart said the plan will help to ensure that people receive quicker and more convenient care - delivering on the Prime Minister’s promise to cut NHS waiting lists as part of his five priorities for the nation.
The Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care will make it easier for people to get treatment more quickly by:
- Tackling the ‘8 am’ rush and making it easier for people to contact their GP, book an appointment, and get the care they need within two weeks – thanks to better digital tools.
- Providing more services on the high street, increasing patient choice and alleviating pressure on GPs – saving up to 10 million appointments a year.
- Patients in over 90 per cent of practices will be able to see their records, book appointments, and order repeat prescriptions using the NHS App by March 2024.
General practice is already delivering more than a million appointments every day and half a million more every week than before the pandemic. Stuart has now endorsed the plan, which is backed by £885 million - including £240 million in state-of-the-art digital systems to help GP practices embrace the latest technology, replacing old analogue phones with modern systems so that patients never get engaged tones and are equipped with easy-to-use online tools in order to get the care they need as soon as possible.
The Modern General Practice programme will mean that patients know on the day how their request will be handed, based on clinical need and continuing to respect their preference for a call, face-to-face appointment, or online message. If their need is urgent, they will be assessed and given appointments on the same day. If it is not urgent, appointments will be offered within 2 weeks, or patients will be referred to NHS 111 or a local pharmacy. For a practice still on analogue phones, this could mean around £60,000 of support.
The plan also provides £645 million in more services provided by high street pharmacies. 80 per cent of people in England live within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy and 90 per cent feel comfortable consulting a pharmacist for minor illnesses. The ‘Pharmacy First’ minor illness service means that, for the first time, pharmacists can by the end of the year supply prescription-only medicines for seven common illnesses, such as sore throat, earache, or a urinary tract infection. In addition, it expands the number of pharmacies able to prescribe contraception, benefiting around half a million women. A further 2.5 million blood pressure checks in pharmacies will help to further prevent heart attacks and strokes. In 2023/24, core funding for general practices and primary care networks was a record of £11.5 billion, 38% higher than in 2018/19 - with around £3 billion extra investment annually into general practice.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “The health and wellbeing of my constituents is a top priority of mine. That’s why I was delighted when the Prime Minister made cutting NHS waiting lists one of his five top priorities. I am pleased to now welcome this £885 million plan, which will tackle the 8 am rush for appointments and make it easier for patients to contact their GP. It will build capacity so practices can offer more appointments from more staff than ever before and empower pharmacies to deliver a wider range of services in their local communities - ensuring that people receive quicker, more convenient care.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said: “We are already making real progress with 10% more GP appointments happening every month compared to before the pandemic. I want to make sure people receive the right support when they contact their general practice and bring an end to the 8 am scramble for appointments. To do this we are improving technology and reducing bureaucracy, increasing staffing and changing the way primary care services are provided, which are all helping to deliver on the government’s promise to cut waiting lists.”