Key takeaways
Neighbourhood centres shift care to communities
Labour plans to ease pressure on GP surgeries.
Flexible funding may boost GP recruitment
ARRS scheme could support hiring under new rules.
Partnerships must prepare for reform impact
Review agreements to manage future liabilities.
Sir Keir Starmer will become prime minister today following Labour’s landslide victory in the UK general election. General practice has a “lot to look forward to” according to Labour’s shadow health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting. The Labour government promises to reform the NHS and increase the delivery of care within local communities meaning GPs across the country could see significant changes over the coming months, in particular:
The trial of Neighbourhood Health Centres - Labour plan to take the pressure off GP surgeries by bringing together existing services such as family doctors, district nurses, physiotherapists etc. under one roof, shifting resources to primary care and community services.
Increased training of junior GPs which Labour hope will guarantee face-to-face appointments.
Incentivising the family doctor by encouraging GPs to see the same patient so ongoing or complex conditions can be dealt with effectively.
A drive to improve waiting lists for appointments, to ensure that patients wait no more than 18 weeks from referral for consultant-led treatment of non-urgent health conditions and delivering an extra two million NHS operations, scans and appointments every year.
Flexible ARRS funding - Labour’s shadow health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed that Labour want to consider readdressing the restrictive nature of the ARRS scheme to enable practices to recruit GPs under the scheme.
Child Health Action Plan – Labour plan to introduce mental health support for children and young people and boost preventative mental health services by rolling out Young Futures Hubs in every community.
The intended changes are ambitious and there is a question mark over how quickly they can be funded, which Labour suggests will come from reducing tax loopholes for the wealthiest in society.
Whilst Labour implements its policies, there are simple steps you can take to best prepare for the anticipated reforms:
Partnership agreements: Wes Streeting confirmed that Labour’s intention is to allow GPs to flourish within the partnership model. It is imperative that if you operate as a partnership, you have a robust partnership agreement in place to ensure good governance of your medical partnership and avoid operating as a partnership at will. Further details can be found here: The perils of a partnership at will | Hill Dickinson.
Primary care networks: We can assume that primary care networks will be integral to the shift towards Neighbourhood Health Centres and therefore it is important to be prepared to deliver additional services and collaborate with new members of your primary care network over the coming months. Primary care networks should ensure that network agreement schedules are fit for purpose, document the members’ agreed approach to service delivery, profit share and the employment of ARRS roles, particularly if primary care networks are to receive increasing budgets and have greater flexibility over roles to be recruited.
Organisational structures: A larger workforce and budget within general practice increases potential liabilities for GPs, particularly those operating under the partnership model. Consider whether your existing structure is suitable for the size of your organisation. We are seeing an increase in GPs wanting to explore incorporation which may alleviate some of the pressures associated with potential employment liabilities.
If you would like specialist support in reviewing your partnership agreements or network schedules, please contact a member of our Primary Care team.
