Patients will have
the chance to choose the best GP practice for them under new plans
in a consultation published today by Health Secretary Andy Burnham.
At present, GPs operate within fixed geographical boundaries that
can be restrictive and severely reduce patients’ choice of the
practice they register with, especially for those patients living
in poorer areas.
The majority of patients are happy with their current GP practice
but a significant minority would like to change their GP.
For many patients it is important to be registered with a local
GP so their GP can visit them at home and help co-ordinate care
with local health professionals. Others want to register with a
practice closer to where they work, or one closer to home, open
longer or offers more services. Other patients have said they’d
like to be able to stay registered with their current practice
when they move house.
The consultation is seeking views on a wide range of proposals,
in particular around the issues involved in arranging home visits,
co-ordination of community based services, safeguarding access for
local residents, and access to hospital and specialist treatment.
On a visit to Wandsworth Medical Centre, Secretary of State for
Health, Andy Burnham said:
“In the next 10 years, the most exciting changes in healthcare
will take place in primary care, as more services move out of
hospitals and into the community. This is better for patients as
well as a more efficient way of delivering services.
"Giving people more choice of GP services will help
drive up standards and improve quality. It is the right move at
the right time. This policy will drive change, and allow for more
responsive primary care for all.
“We know that to make this work some changes will be needed, for
example how we organise home visits for those people who choose to
register with a practice further away from where they live. That’s
why we would like to hear from patients, GPs and practice staff
with their views on how the new system should work and how we
ensure patients have a wider and more meaningful choice of GP practice."
“We have already greatly improved access to GP services and most
people are satisfied or very satisfied with their GP but in a
great NHS, everybody should be able to choose the best care for
themselves and their families. That means the freedom to choose
their GPand not be faced with artificial restrictions, like
practice boundaries, that limit their choice.”
Dr Seth Rankin, Managing Partner of Wandsworth Medical Centre added:
“Having a wider choice of GP services and being able to register
at practices that are nearer to your place of work or your
community is something that many patients would really appreciate.
If the problems of home visiting patients living long distances
away can be worked out it is an exciting new challenge for general
practice which we look forward to.
“I think that patients being able to find GP services that more
closely match their expectations and needs can only be a good
thing for both patients and GPs.”
Royce Franklin, Vice-Chairman, The National Association for
Patient Participation, added:
"The National Association for Patient Participation
(NAPP) agrees in principle that greater choice of GP surgery is
desirable. This will enable more patients to access the services
that best meet their needs but there are many practical challenges
to be addressed. NAPP will continue to work with the Department of
Health and other partners to find solutions that bring the
greatest benefits to all patients."
Notes to Editors
In a speech to the King’s Fund on 17 September 2009, Health
Secretary Andy Burnham announced the intention to scrap GP
practice based boundaries and allow patients to register at a
practice of their choice.
The consultation entitled Your choice of GP Practice: A
consultation on how to enable people to register with the GP
practice of their choice published today can be found at:
[www.gpchoice.dh.gov.uk]
Nearly 90,000 people a week use NHS Choices to find and compare
GP practices, find an evening appointment or see what services a
particular GP practice offers, shows there is real demand for
choice.
Information to assist the public in comparing and find out more
information about practices is available at www.nhs.uk/comparegp.
The 12 week consultation will run from 3 March to the end of May
2010. People can submit their views online or by post.
For more information please contact the Department of Health
press office on 020 7210 5221.
Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham visited a GP Health
Centre today. PA pooled footage of the visit can be found by
contacting the following number: 0207 084 3564.
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk