§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for funding PCTs that have more GPs than the recommended average per 100,000 people. [72887]
NHS Plan GPs1 and Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents2 (UPEs) and Patients for Kingston and Richmond Health Authority as at 30 September 2001 HA and PCG/T Code NHS Plan GPs of which:UPEs Patients Average List Size NHS Plan numbers Average List Size of UPEs Kingston and Richmond HA QAG 197 191 369,728 1,877 1,936 Kingston PCT 5A5 93 93 175,007 1,882 1,882 Richmond PCG 4RM35 48 44 90,180 1,879 2,050 Teddington, Twickenham and Hamptons PCT 5A6 56 54 104,541 1,867 1,936 Note: 1NHS Plan GPs includes UPEs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA) and PMS Other 2UPEs includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, and PMS Salaried GPs. Source:
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds have been committed to improving access to primary care in Twickenham since 1997; what improvements have taken place; and if he will make a statement. [72495]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 23 July 2002]: As part of the Department's commitment to improving access to primary care nationally, we have increased the primary care trust primary care access fund by £83.5 million to £168 million, with at least £48 million dedicated in 2002–03 to improving access in primary care and implementing advanced access. Richmond and Twickenham Primary Care Trust has received £150,000 from the primary care access fund.
In 1997 the Kingston and Richmond Health Authority used improvement grants to fund schemes that improved physical access to surgeries and improved communications with surgeries.
From 1998 the new primary care organisations within Richmond and Twickenham began to work with local general practitioners (GPs) to explore new ways of working. Teddington, Twickenham and Hamptons successfully bid to participate in the national primary care collaborative focussing on improved coronary heart disease (CHD) care, improving access to primary care and managing capacity. Funding available for this scheme totalled £149,000 over two years. This has allowed primary care teams to scrutinise the demand on their services and look to manage that demand using a variety of methods including telephone triage/consultations by GPs, nurse triage, changing the skill mix by employing health assistants. A further £110,000 was spent on innovative projects that focused on partnership
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§ Mr. HuttonThe framework document for the new general medical services contract proposes the introduction of a formula that links funding to patient numbers, and that a fair shares distribution will be achieved over time. Detailed negotiations on the contract including transitional arrangements are taking place now the framework has been approved in a ballot of general practitioners.