RCGP response to Primary Care Strategy

03.07.08

RCGP Chairman Professor Steve Field said: “We are pleased to have had an influence as part of the strategy group - and that the central role of the GP is reaffirmed in the resulting document. We also welcome the focus on strong and effective primary care and the need for effective clinical leadership.

“General practice is the jewel in the NHS crown and our federated practices espoused in the document mean that we will be able to offer more to our patients by pooling our resources and expertise to commission and deliver a wider and better range of services where patients want them - closer to home.

“The RCGP exists to improve care for patients. We are delighted that the emphasis is moving away from patching people up when they are ill to promotion of healthy living and preventing illness so that we can help people stay as healthy as they can for as long as they can.

“The focus on the patient and the population that GPs serve is important. We believe that patients should have as much information as possible about the services that are provided because we believe in patient choice. We welcome the extra investment in primary care services but we must ensure that this is well spent and that new services are targeted according to local need, with local GPs, patients and the wider public fully consulted and involved in the decision making.

“The majority of care in this country is good or excellent in some areas but we acknowledge that there are some small pockets of poor practice that need to be addressed. The RCGP voluntary accreditation scheme currently being piloted in 40 practices across England will help achieve this and we are also working with NHS Choices to provide more information for patients about the services and care they receive, regardless of their circumstances or where they live.

“In the week that the NHS reaches 60, we believe that the Primary and Community Care Strategy will enable GPs and their primary care colleagues to further improve the standards of care to which we all aspire.”

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