HL Deb 19 November 2003 vol 654 c337WA
Baroness Gardner of Parkes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the Carr Hill formula, on which general practitioners' earnings will be based, rates young people at 0.5, so that general practitioners accepting young patients have a reduced income for each of these patients; and whether they are concerned that general practitioners will refuse to accept young people on their lists as a result. [HL5544]

Lord Warner

The formula for calculating global sum payments as part of the new contract for general medical services is based on evidence of the use of primary care by different age groups. The weight given to an age group reflects the average relative workload for practices in delivering primary care to that age group. The practices should receive fair payments for all the patients on their practice list so will not be disadvantaged for accepting young people on to their list.