- Page navigation anchor for General practice and the sustainability and transformation imperativesGeneral practice and the sustainability and transformation imperatives
Any changes to general practice should be appropriately funded and based on good evidence - the 'sustainability imperative' demanded by Ben Jackson et al.1 Any changes also need to involve GPs and listen to their concerns.
Sustainability and Transformation Plans were submitted by the end of 2016. In their interim review the RCGP expressed their concerns about the lack of GP involvement.2 At the same time a GP-online poll of 299 GPs found that only 22% said they had been consulted, 61% had not and 17% did not know.
Are GPs more involved now?
In May we undertook an online survey of GPs in Brighton and Hove (where seven practices have already closed). It was anonymous.
The survey was sent to 116 practising GPs - 56 responded.
- - 52% felt completely uninformed about the STP and its implications - 36% felt somewhat informed. Only 5% felt well informed.
- - 55% felt that the STP would adversely affect patient safety.
- - 51% imagined the service they could offer patients would be made worse.
- - 43% thought GP recruitment would be made worse.
The survey also asked for suggestions for three actions which GPs thought would help them to continue to provide adequate care in their practice.
There were 140 suggestions. These were overwhelmingly for extra resources: adequate funding for GP and for the NHS; more recruitment of GPs; improvement in/more funding for so...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared.