The Doctors\u2019 Association UK (DAUK) GP Committee says the publication of today\u2019s Darzi report is the moment for \u2018the revival and rebirth of general practice\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The committee says the report has \u2018accurately identified many of the major issues facing general practice\u2019, but said it was now keen to hear from the Government what the solutions would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lord Darzi was commissioned by the new Government in July to conduct an immediate and independent investigation into the NHS, which DAUK gave evidence to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his report, Lord Darzi said \u2018spending in primary and community settings had a superior return on investment when compared with acute hospital services\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said \u2018therefore it makes sense that this should be the fundamental strategic shift that the NHS aspires to make\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But he said that GPs do not have the resources or infrastructure to manage and coordinate the \u2018increasingly complex care\u2019 that was expected of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Lizzie Toberty, DAUK\u2019s GP lead, said: \u201cLord Darzi accurately identifies many of the major issues including poor buildings, lack of IT and an over focus on hospital, rather than community care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs GPs we are heartened he recognises how under-resourced we have been and the inequity between primary and secondary care resourcing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLord Darzi rightly points out GPs have been the most financially disciplined part of the NHS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGeneral practice, more specifically, the partnership model has proven how efficient, innovative and agile it can be again and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Toberty called for clarity from the Government as to how it intends to solve the problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DAUK\u2019s GP committee issued a 10-point plan<\/a> before the general election to relieve the pressure on general practice, which included a call for a cross-party group to make longer term decisions for the health service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr Toberty said: \u201cLord Darzi has identified the problems in general practice quite accurately, but his report is missing solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Prime Minister is advocating for reform but we are not clear as to what that means or what the reform will be but we would urge the new Government to take this opportunity to look at introducing cross-party collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr Toberty said another solution was to fund general practice \u2018without restriction on who GPs can employ\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said: \u201cLord Darzi notes that GPs are best placed to know the community they serve and what their patients need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe funding needs to go directly to practices for them to use for their patients, without restrictions on who can be employed. The report rightly states that additional roles, such as physios and pharmacists, should supplement GPs, not replace them.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr Toberty added: \u201cWhen it comes to general practice, the government must realise bigger is not better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is huge efficiency to be gained when GPs have the ability and time to build up trust and continuity with their patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe evidence shows this provides better outcomes, lower admissions and higher patient satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf the benefits of continuity of care were a drug we would put it in the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut these problems are not insurmountable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe estimate a starting point is \u00a32 billion to restore to 2015 levels of funding. This is a relatively modest investment of \u00a335 per patient per year \u2013 or the cost of a cup of coffee a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is the time for the revival and rebirth of general practice. Give partners some resource, protect the model and there is still time to save the NHS.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our vice-chair Dr Ellen Welch, a GP in the north west of England, has written about the issues facing general practice in her book Why Can\u2019t I See My GP?<\/a>, a copy of which was sent to every MP before the general election to put NHS at the top of the agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPatient trust<\/h3>\n\n\n\n