More than 1,000 newly qualified GPs will be recruited across England thanks to government action to – as the Department of Health & Social Care puts it – ‘remove red tape currently preventing surgeries from hiring doctors’.
The DHSC says ‘bringing back the family doctor is central to the Government’s plan to rebuild the health service’, adding that ‘the changes being made to cut through the current rules will help more patients get access to GPs, and ensure that more GPs are able to find roles, so that people in communities across England will receive the timely care they deserve this year’.
Currently, under the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, primary care networks (PCNs) can claim reimbursement for the salaries (and some on-costs) of 17 new roles within the multidisciplinary team – meaning more specialists are available to treat patients. They are selected to meet the needs of the local population, but PCNS are currently prevented from using this to recruit additional GPs. The changes announced on 1 August 2024 mean that newly qualified GPs can quickly be recruited into the NHS through this scheme in 2024 to 2025.
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “It’s thought hundreds of newly qualified GPs could be without a job this summer in England, but thanks to this intervention, they will be able to be hired by the end of the year. Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting (pictured), said: “It is absurd that patients can’t book appointments while GPs can’t find work. This government is taking immediate action to put GPs to work, so patients can get the care they need. This is a first step, as we begin the long-term work of shifting the focus of healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to fix the front door to the NHS. I want to work with GPs to re-build our NHS, so it is there for all of us when we need it.”
Dr Amanda Doyle, National director for Primary Care and Community Services, added: “With hard-working GP teams delivering millions more appointments a month compared with before the pandemic, it is vital they are given the resources to manage this increase in demand. Adding GPs to the scheme is something that the profession has been calling for in recent months to make it easier for practices to hire more staff, so I welcome this measure which is an important first step to increasing GP employment in the long term. We will continue to work with GPs, the BMA, and the government, to avert any potential action, but in the meantime the NHS has a duty to plan for any possible disruption to ensure services continue to be provided for patients.”
In expanding general practice capacity, the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme improves access for patients, supports the delivery of new services, and widens the range of offers available in primary care.