‘The Future of General Practice’
In October 2022, the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee – chaired by the now-Chancellor Jeremy Hunt – produced an excellent report entitled ‘The Future of General Practice’.
These eight quotations taken from the Report’s ‘Summary’ argue against everything that local NHS managers are trying to impose on North West London.
“There is clear international and UK research showing that seeing the same GP over a long period of time leads to fewer hospital visits, lower mortality and less cost for the NHS.”
“Continuity of care is beneficial for all patient interactions [… and] should not therefore be available only for patients with complex needs.”
“Seeing your GP should not be like phoning a call centre or booking an Uber driver who you will never see again: relationship-based care is essential for patient safety and patient experience.”
“Part of the purpose of a long-term relationship between a doctor and patient is to prevent chronic or long-term illness before it happens.”
“General practice really should be the jewel in the crown of the NHS, one of the services most valued by its patients. For doctors it should allow a cradle to grave relationship with patients not possible for other specialties but for many infinitely more rewarding.”
“GPs should be treated like professionals and incentivised to provide relationship-based care for all patients by restoring individual patient lists.”
“General practice needs to have its professional status restored with a decisive move away from micromanagement and short staffing to a win-win environment in which investment in general practice reduces pressure on hospitals and saves resources for the NHS.”
“Rather than hinting it may scrap the partnership model [for GP Practices], the Government should strengthen it.”