Latest news with #generalpractice
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
GP partners in Northern Ireland vote for collective action over funding
GP partners in Northern Ireland have voted in favour of taking collective action as part of their fight for increased funding for general 80% of GP partners who are British Medical Association (BMA) members took part in the ballot of which 98.7% voted in favour of medics' trade union said this will see GP practices withdrawing some non-funded services which will take time away from patient NI GP committee chair, Dr Frances O'Hagan, said the result sent a "clear and unequivocal message" to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt. "We have been warning for well over a decade now that general practice was not being funded to meet the needs of growing patient lists and that failure to act on this would have consequences on patient care," she said."Frustratingly, these warnings have fallen on deaf ears." Dr O'Hagan said the health minister "wants to shift healthcare services into the community where general practice sits at the core" and hopes to achieve this "by imposing an under-funded contract and publicly dismissing GPs' valid concerns on how this will impact patients in these very same communities". "It is demoralising and has left GPs with no choice but to vote in favour of collective action."Dr O'Hagan said the "imposed contract would serve to work against improving patient access". GPs 'left with no choice' She called on the health minister to "act urgently" and resume contract negotiations."Not one GP who voted in favour of collective action wants to have to go down this road, but they feel they have been left with no choice."The minister needs to demonstrate that he values general practice and that he has our backs by coming back to the negotiating table with an improved 2025/2026 contract offer." The BMA had made a number of proposed collective actions in relation to the included:Limiting daily patient consultations per clinician to the UEMO (European Union of General Practitioners) recommended safe maximum of 25Serving notice on any voluntary activityCeasing completion of unfunded paperworkSwitching off Medicines Optimisation Software In a statement on Friday morning, the Department of Health said it had "not yet received formal confirmation from the BMA of the outcome, nor of the specific measures that will comprise the collective action".It said that it would be "important that GPs continue to adhere to the terms of their contract while taking any action, that there is no negative impact on patient safety and that access to service are maintained"."The department recognises that primary care system is under considerable, sustained pressure and GPs and their teams are working hard but are struggling to meet the demand from patients."It added that the financial challenges facing the Department of Health are well-known and in "that context, the £9.5m in additional funding included in the 2025/26 GMS contract represented the best possible offer the department could make for 2025/26"."It is a matter of regret that the department has not been able to reach agreement in relation to the 2025/26 GMS contract."The department said the health minister "remains open to discussion as to how best to secure the future of general practice so that it can remain a central part of primary care services now and in the future". It said it had "already written to NIGPC inviting them to engage in formal negotiations to develop a new GMS contract", and that it "has not yet had a response to this offer".
Irish Times
17-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Demand for GP consultations could rise by up to 30% over next 15 years as population ages and grows
Demand for consultations with a GP could increase by almost a third over the next 15 years due to a growing and ageing population, research has found. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on Wednesday published a report that projects demand for GP consultations could rise by between 23 and 30 per cent, from 19.4 million in 2023 to between 23.9 million and 25.2 million by 2040. It projects an additional 943 to 1,211 GPs could be needed by 2040 to meet this need. There was a GP headcount of 3,928 in 2023. However, this projected figure is based on the current GP-consultation ratio. If GPs were to undertake fewer consultations, for reasons such as higher complexity or reduced working hours, then the number required would increase accordingly, it adds. READ MORE Demand for consultations with general practice nurses is projected to grow from 5.7 million in 2023 to between 7.5 million and 7.8 million by 2040, an increase of between 32 and 36 per cent. This means an additional 761 to 868 general practice nurses will be needed by 2040. The headcount in 2023 was 2,288. According to the report, the level of demand will depend on the uptake of GP visit cards, healthy ageing and engagement with the chronic disease treatment programme . A 'key component' of the Sláintecare health reform proposals is moving healthcare from the hospital model to more primary and community settings, the ESRI notes. A number of policies have been introduced in recent years to achieve this, including the extension of GP visit cards to children under eight and to those below the median income, as well as the development of the chronic disease management programme. [ Up to 6,800 more inpatient beds will be needed by 2040, says ESRI report Opens in new window ] 'While it is anticipated that such reforms may reduce pressures on the hospital sector in the medium term, they will inevitably increase the demand for general practice services in the coming years – increases which come in addition to the significant increase in demand arising from a growing and ageing population.' In the report, the ESRI highlights difficulties in capacity planning in the sector due to a lack of available nationally representative data on general practice. 'A number of measures have already been implemented to increase the general practice workforce, including increasing training places,' the report says. 'However, it is not known if current measures will be sufficient to meet additional demands on general practice in the coming years.' GP shortages have been a growing concern for a number of years, particularly in rural areas, due to many of these practices being solo-run and doctors approaching retirement age. According to the most recent figures from the Irish Medical Council , from last year, almost a third of GPs are aged 55 or older.
Medscape
12-06-2025
- Business
- Medscape
RCGP Urges Support to Save Declining GP Partnership Model
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has warned that GP partnerships are under threat, as the number of partners in England has dropped by 25% over the past decade. In a new report, the college urged action to 'break down barriers to partnership' and called for modernisation of the model to make it more attractive to younger doctors. While the RCGP reaffirmed its support for the independent contractor model, it said there was 'room for modernisation and innovation', and backed ' a mixed economy' of contractual models to deliver general practice. Shift in Workforce Between 2015 and 2025, the number of GP partners in England fell from 24,491 to 18,367. Over the same period, the number of salaried GPs rose by 81%, from 10,270 in September 2015 to 18,557 in December 2024. As of June 2024, GP partners were a minority among fully qualified GPs for the first time. The most significant drop in partnership was seen in younger doctors. Among GPs aged 30-34, numbers fell by 72.9%. The only age group to show growth was those aged 60-64, up by 19.5%. Barriers to Partnership Rising workload, administrative burdens, and concerns about financial risk were cited as major deterrents to partnership. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, RCGP chair, said that many GPs were discouraged by the unlimited personal liability that comes with being a partner. She also pointed to the responsibilities of owning or leasing premises and managing staff, especially as patient demand increases. Exploring Alternatives The RCGP report explored alternative business models that could support general practice, including limited companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and community benefit societies. The college maintained that partnerships still offered flexibility and potential for innovation, particularly if financial and workload pressures could be reduced. In 2024, more than half (55%) of RCGP members said they would be more likely to consider partnership if financial risks were lower. A review by Lord Darzi highlighted the financial discipline of GP partnerships, noting that they could not run large deficits like other parts of the NHS. Earlier this year, the Nuffield Trust described the current GP partnership model as 'withering'. The health think tank warned that the government's plans to improve GP access were at risk due to the fall in partner numbers. Thea Stein, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, told Medscape News UK : 'It is hard to see partnership being the dominant model in the future.' She called for support where the model works well, but said new models must also be explored. Hawthorne maintained that 'there are elements of the traditional GP partnership that can be improved and modernised, while retaining its core strengths'. The GP partnership model has huge benefits for the NHS and for patients, she added. Government Response A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson acknowledged the strengths of the partnership model, including efficiency, innovation, and continuity of care. 'However, we also recognise that this is not the only model delivering general practice,' the spokesperson told Medscape News UK . 'GP practices can choose to organise themselves in different ways and also provide good outcomes in terms of staff engagement and patient experience.'
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Warning of mass exodus of Northern Ireland GPs to private sector
A GP who wrote a scathing letter to Northern Ireland's health minister accusing him of "complete disrespect" for general practice has said those working in the sector are at their "wits' end".Dr John Diamond, who has served his community in Magherafelt for 25 years, says GPs are angry about chronic underfunding and unsafe his letter to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, he warned of an exodus from the NHS to private Department of Health said the minister "remains open to discussion as to how best to secure the future of general practice so that it can remain a central part of primary care services now and in the future". Two weeks ago Nesbitt imposed a disputed funding package that was overwhelmingly rejected by said a package of £9.5m additional funding was offered to GPs and said he was "disappointed" the BMA negotiators recommended to their members that they reject the offer.A total of 99.6% of GPs who took part in the referendum voted to reject the Diamond, who is based at Garden Street Surgery in Magherafelt and Bellaghy Medical Centre, said "when general practice goes, the NHS goes"."There are now three tiers of patients in Northern Ireland: the people who have plenty of money who can afford to pay, the people who have insurance and everybody else. "Most people fit into the everybody else category."Every day in life I am saying to people I will send them off and they will be seen in six, seven, eight years, in some cases, and sometimes never."I know I will be looking after them for years on end while they never get their treatment."I appreciate that waiting lists are a problem, but they are a symptom of a system of a failing system."He said decisions "that haven't been made properly by our politicians" are to blame. GP taking 4,000 phone calls a week Dr Diamond said GPs do more than 90% of all consultations on the NHS. "Up to two years ago, it was 5.4% of the budget, it's probably less than 5% of the budget [now]."He added: "I would argue that if you compare the funding that we get in our region compared to others in these islands, we are very much the poor relation by a long way."Most developed countries would say you should be spending at least 10% of your budget within general practice within primary care and we are far, far from that."Dr Diamond said there are between 3,500 and 4,000 phone calls to and from his surgery on an average week, before they even see a doctor said he is in the latter years of his career within general practice and had envisaged he would see it out in the NHS."But the youngsters coming through are not accepting that," he said. "They don't want 20 years of a constant battle to get anything done. They want a system that works better for them and better for their patients."For sure, they are plotting what we can do next."He said he would like the minister to "sit down properly with our representatives and have a discussion about the needs that general practice has and respect those needs rather than just dismiss us". 'Matter of regret' In a statement, the department said it was "a matter of regret" it had not been able to reach agreement in relation to the 2025/26 GMS (General Medical Services) contract. It said the minister stated on 19 May that "he remains open to discussion as to how best to secure the future of general practice."The £9.5m associated with the 2025/26 GMS contract represents additional investment in core GP services, with no 'strings' attached in terms of additional workload, or no requirement for additional patient consultations," it said."Total investment in GP services this year will be more than £414m. "Given the extreme budgetary challenges facing the department, however, the minister has made clear to the BMA that the £9.5m contract offer, which will provide support directly to GP practices in Northern Ireland, was the best and final offer for 2025/26."It added: "The department and minister remain committed to the principle that GP services should remain free to all patients at the point of access and do not agree that the privatisation is the way forward for GPs."
RNZ News
28-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
New 24-7 health service could 'dismantle' general practice, doctor says
General practice has become less attractive as a speciality with the shrinking level of capitation funding and money paid to practices for each enrolled patient. Photo: 123rf The government's plans for a new 24-7 Telehealth service will end up delivering "hit and run" medicine and substandard care for patients, warns a leading GP. Health NZ has confirmed the service - due to go live from as early as next month - will involve multiple providers and a shared digital health record. The Digital Health Association chair said the service would making it easier for patients to access a doctor and help to avoid "clogging up the hospital system". However, the chair of general practitioners Aotearoa Dr Buzz Burrell told Nine to Noon it would inevitably lead to "further fragmentation of good old general practice". "And if we fragment and dismantle general practice, we're going backwards, not forwards." Dr Burrell said to his knowledge, no GP organisations had been consulted over the design of the new Telehealth platform, which was concerning. "Unfortunately what it's going to look like is a patient is going to phone a doctor, a nurse, a paramedic, who is not their doctor or nurse or health practitioner. "As a result that continuity will be fractured, it will be hit and run medicine, and it's not fixing the problem." The underlying problem was the acute shortage of GPs in New Zealand, which needed another 500 to 1000 family doctors to be on par with Australia, he said. "The solution is not funding private companies to make money out of patients phoning them up instead of their doctors - it's getting more doctors on the front-line." Research had shown that patients who had the same GP for five years, lived four years longer on average, and had 30 percent fewer referrals to secondary services, Burrell said. "I recall very well in deed having one Telehealth consult during COVID with a patient I knew well, and I said 'Gosh, I have to see you next week', and I did. "What they had called me about was one problem, but what I saw was a pale person who had lost weight. And to cut a long story short he had his bowel cancer resected three months later. "That would have been completely missed had he been seen by one doctor who he'd never seen before and would never see again. That's hit and run medicine." General practice had become less attractive as a speciality with the shrinking level of capitation funding, the money paid to practices for each enrolled patient, with up to 40 percent of practices struggling to stay financially viable. Digital healthcare providers said however the Telehealth service should bring more equitable access to GPs across the country. The Digital Health Association chair Tony Wai told the Nine to Noon many GPs offered online appointments but not 24-hour coverage. "It will hopefully pick up a number of the unenrolled who don't have a current GP and we know a number of those individuals have been winding up in ED across the country, and that's clogging up the hospital system. "Trying to get immediate access to a doctor is going to be crucial upfront, there will be a number of people using it who will be in major distress in that point of time and getting them immediate access is much easier." Wai said it would take less time to get access to a doctor and reduce the overall wait times. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
