Nuffield Trust response to Labour's GP pledges

Commenting on Labour’s proposals on general practice, Nuffield Trust Senior Fellow Dr Rebecca Rosen said:

“Whoever wins the election next week will inherit a challenging situation in general practice. Public satisfaction with GP services has plummeted and the number of fully qualified full-time GPs per person has fallen since the last election.

“There are huge benefits to patients when they are able to see the same doctor, particularly those with long-term or complex health needs, so Labour’s plans to support a return of the family doctor is welcome. But they will need to reverse a trend of declining continuity at a time when the number of fully qualified and full-time GPs have fallen, and a range of new roles in practices including paramedics, physios and pharmacists can make it harder to see a clinician you know.

"The next government will need to support practices to improve access through carefully designed triage systems and new digital technologies that work well for patients and staff and that ensure continuity for patients who want or need it."