GPs views on the future of General Practice

How far do your views match those of the 15,560 GPs who took part in the BMA poll?

The essential components of general practice: What are your top three?
Asked to rank 3 factors essential to general practice, these came out Tops: Continuity of care (mentioned by 80%); Trust and confidentiality (61%); Holistic care (51%).

The Top factors that could help them better deliver the essential components of general practice were most commonly identified as: Increased core general practice funding (76%), Longer consultation times (70%) and a Reduction in bureaucracy (64%)

Access

• Telephone consultations? A large majority of GPs (86%) agree these are an effective way of consulting, for appropriate reasons. Almost two-thirds (63%) believe that they can be an effective way to manage demand as an alternative to face-to-face consultations.
• Video and web consultations: half the GPs (50%) are concerned about clinical limitations.
• Core hours? 74% of GPs practising in England agree that core GP contract opening hours provide adequate and appropriate access for patients

Models of General Practice?
“Which of the NHS Five Year Forward models would be the best way to develop general practice in the local area where they work?”

• More than half (52%) said that working in networks or federations, and more collaboratively with other healthcare professionals (e.g. consultants, nurses), would work best.
• Over a third (37%) said their practice has joined with a network or federation. Common reasons were: Bidding for 10 care contacts (43%); Enabling more influence on health care delivery (40%) and Long term security of the practice as part of a larger structure (39%).
• Nearly half (48%) say their practice has not joined with other practices or organisations
• Premises
  62% support maintaining the model of GPs being able to own their surgery.
• Based on how their practice is currently structured, 56% would like to own and work in owner occupied premises (and 27% would not).

Future of GP contracts?

• National GMS contract: Just under three quarters (73%) support its continuation.
• Independent contractor status: More than four in five (82%) support maintaining the option of independent contractor status for GPs
• QOF: Over half of GPs (55%) think the size of the QOF should be decreased further

Sue Lacey Bryant
Sue.LaceyBryant@hee.nhs.uk
Workforce Development Tutor, Health Education Thames Valley
Follow my personal commentary on Twitter: @SueLaceybryant

Reference:

National survey of GPs: The future of General Practice 2015. Full Report, December – February 2015. ICM unlimited, 2015