Our response to the new GP contract
Today, the government announced a new GP contract to improve access to primary care for people across England.
The announcement included an additional £485 million in funding for GP services, while dedicating a further £300 million to help recruit new GPs and increase the availability of GP appointments.
The government invited us to give evidence on the feedback the public has shared with us about GPs. This insight played an important role in helping to develop the new GP contract.
Chris McCann, Acting Chief Executive of Healthwatch England, responded to the announcement:
“The new contract will be welcome news for people who have struggled to access GP services. Plans to recruit more doctors should make it easier for patients to get appointments and ensure urgent cases are handled more quickly.
"People consistently tell us that GP services are becoming harder to use and that simply getting through the door for care can be a challenge. For example, we often hear from individuals who wait in long telephone queues for an appointment, only to be told that all slots have been taken for the day and that they must try again tomorrow.
"We also hope the changes to the contract will reduce the technological barriers people face when trying to access GP care, such as online booking systems being unavailable or switched off.
"Thanks to the experiences shared by the public, we were able to support the government in highlighting the public's top priorities so it could develop a new GP contract that better meets patients’ needs. Their feedback enabled us to highlight the importance of clarity, fairness, and accessibility, and to ensure that people with complex needs, low digital confidence, or limited options are not left facing additional barriers to care.”
