GP practices in working-class neighborhoods are set to receive increased Government funding as part of a significant overhaul in the NHS. A review is being launched by ministers to address the issue of “inverse care” that has emerged under the Conservative administration, where areas with the greatest health needs receive subpar NHS services. These regions, characterized by lower life expectancies, have been facing challenges such as fewer GPs, underperforming hospitals, and longer wait times within the NHS.
The current funding model for GPs tends to favor areas with a higher concentration of elderly residents, typically more affluent regions. Care minister Stephen Kinnock is introducing plans to redirect more funding to GP services in disadvantaged communities and neglected coastal areas.
The announcement of the review will take place at the Royal College of GPs’ annual primary care conference in Newport. Minister Kinnock emphasized the necessity of updating the outdated GP funding allocation system to address the growing health disparities in deprived areas and coastal communities nationwide.
Currently, GP practices in working-class zones receive 10% less funding per patient on average compared to practices in wealthier regions. Data from the Royal College of GPs indicates that practices in economically challenged areas serve approximately 300 more patients per GP than those in more prosperous locales.
NHS England’s director for primary care, Dr. Amanda Doyle, stressed the importance of fair resource allocation to GP practices in the most deprived communities, where health challenges are particularly acute. By revising the GP funding mechanism for the first time in two decades, the NHS aims to enhance support for individuals in need.
A recent GP patient survey revealed that residents in the most deprived areas encounter difficulties in contacting their GPs via phone, website, or app compared to those in less deprived areas. Efforts are being made to reassess how health needs factor into funding distribution, with the current formula, known as the Carr-Hill formula, being outdated by around 25 years in some cases.
Jacob Lant, CEO of the National Voices coalition, highlighted the significance of reviewing the Carr-Hill formula to reduce health inequalities and ensure fairer access to healthcare services. The disparity in GP funding among communities has been a longstanding issue, and reforming the formula is viewed as a crucial step towards equitable healthcare provision, a core principle of the NHS.
Areas like Thurrock in Essex, Leicester, Blackburn with Darwen, Luton, Milton Keynes, and Portsmouth are facing severe GP shortages, with over 3,000 patients per GP in some instances. Data analysis from the BBC underscored the challenges posed by these imbalances and the pressing need for targeted interventions in such regions.