General practice is the cornerstone of the NHS – dealing with 90per cent of all patient contacts. Ballooning workloads, declining resorces and an overstretched workforce are placing a huge strain on service. However with an increasing population and the health challanges we face, in particular the growing number of people living with one or more long term conditions, the amount of funding for gerneal practice is shrinking, both in real terms and as a proportion of total NHS expenditure. Between 2005-2006 and 2011-2012 the percentage share of the NHS budget spent on general practice across England, Scotland and Wales fell from 10.75 to 8.4% a historic low. This is bad news for patients, who face the possibility of longer waits for appointments, fewer services and more difficulty in getting to see the GP of their choice.
We are calling for a UK wide increase in the share of funding that goes into general practice from 8.4 to 11% of the NHS budget by 2017. More resources will help support GPs to deliver consistent, high quality care, increasing number of GP’s as well as other primary care professionals such as district nurses, and investment in more modern premises.
To support/get involved in the campaign see https://www.rcgp.org.uk/campaign-home/about.aspx
