Funding to recruit GPs 'welcome start' but 'not a long-term solution' to GP pressures

College Chair Kamila Hawthorne responds to measures taken by the DHSC to allow practices to use funding from the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) to recruit GPs. 

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “We’re pleased the new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, is listening to us about the issues GPs are facing on the frontline as we strive to deliver patient care in the face of intense workload and workforce pressures. It’s made absolutely no sense that GPs are reporting not being able to find work whilst patients are struggling to secure appointments, and this rapid response from the new government should help address this; indeed, allowing practices to use ARRS funding to employ GPs is something the College called for months ago.

“This is by no means the long-term solution general practice needs to tackle the underfunding and poor workforce planning that has led to the current workload and workforce crises facing the profession. Retention remains a huge issue and we repeat our call for a national retention scheme that can be easily accessed by all GPs. This funding is a welcome start as an emergency measure to help ensure that GPs are able to find work and deliver much needed patient care. In our next steps to revive general practice, we need to move towards a situation where GP practices are trusted to utilise funding in the best interests of their patients, not bound by restrictions.

“General practice is the bedrock of the NHS, with GPs and our teams making the vast majority of patient contacts. When properly resourced it alleviates pressure across the NHS and delivers care in the community where patients want it. The Health Secretary has acknowledged the vital importance of general practice and pledged to shift more resource into the service - and as a College we are keen and ready to work with him to ensure general practice gets the support it needs, to deliver the care our patients deserve and keep the NHS afloat.”

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659
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Notes to editors

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.