Our immediate response to yesterday’s NHS funding announcement. These themes will be discussed in more depth at our Action Summit on Thursday.
Dr Michael Dixon, chair, NHS Alliance said:
“This extra funding will provide a much needed shot in the arm for general practice and primary care at a time when pressures are greater than ever due to an increase in the frail elderly and long term disease.
“It will also enable general practice to rise to the challenge of Simon Stevens’ Forward View, and provide a wider and more accessible range of services, while maintaining this country’s tradition of good personal, and continuing family, medicine.
“This extra money will not only help the NHS through a difficult patch, but also lays the foundations for a much more cost-effective and sustainable NHS in the future. Primary care has always been seen as the jewel in the crown of the NHS, and makes a major contribution to the NHS being the most cost-effective health service in the developed world.
“Relative underfunding over many years has threatened this strong reputation. The new funds will allow general practice and primary care to achieve its real potential in terms of better services in health, which can only be good for patients and local people.
“The Government has listened to the concerns of patients and GPs and this enables us as frontline clinicians to deliver the sort of service that we really want for our patients.”
