The government says the most “neediest” patients should be able to see the same doctor at every appointment at their local GP surgery.
It says GPs will be financially rewarded if they do this and if they go “above and beyond” to prevent common killers such as heart disease or treat high blood pressure early. .
The measures are among proposed changes to the GP contract in England – which the government says will add an extra £889m to the current budget.
The doctors’ union, the BMA, which will now consult its members on the proposals, said GP practices were concerned about finances but could provide “an important lifeline”.
At the moment, GPs in England are taking collective action and working towards governance.
Under this new agreement, the government wants to:
- Reduce the number of targets that GPs have to meet.
- Allow more flexibility for surgeries to employ healthcare staff.
- Ensure that the surgery allows patients to be contacted electronically, as well as by phone or in person, during office hours.
- Help patients with complex needs and long-term conditions see the same staff at appointments.
The previous Conservative government promised to end the 8am rush for patients to contact their nominated GP and get an appointment.
Bringing back the family doctor and ending the early morning scramble for appointments were also key manifesto promises for Labour.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting called on GPs to end their collective action, work with the Government and “Get the NHS back on its feet”.
He said: “General practice is being overwhelmed by bureaucracy, with GPs filling in forms rather than treating patients.
“It’s clear the system is broken, which is why we’re cutting red tape, tying outdated performance targets, and freeing doctors to do their jobs instead.
“We promised to bring back the family doctor, but we want to be judged by results – not promises. That’s why we will be encouraging GPs to ensure that as many patients as possible have one at every appointment. See the doctor.”
The BMA’s Dr Katie Brammel Steiner said GP practices across the country were “worrying” about the impact of the “crippling increase” in National Insurance contributions from April.
“Today’s news hopefully provides an important lifeline for our 6,000 plus practices, and we are committed to reaching consensus on how to manage the additional business pressures in the new financial year,” he said.
He said he hoped the funding announcement would be “seen as a positive starting point for an evolving conversation” and looked forward to seeing more details.
The final GP contract will be unveiled in the spring.