New GP practices for deprived areas
pharmafile | November 30, 2007 | News story | |Â Â Â
Health secretary Alan Johnson has unveiled plans to open 100 new practices in under-doctored areas within the next three years.
The move is an attempt to close inequalities in family doctor provision across the UK, and 38 PCTs will benefit from the added resource.
Johnson said: "It is not just about additional new capacity, and it is about more than new buildings. It is about providing care in communities that have the greatest need and the poorest provision."
Shortly after the announcement, the BBC highlighted a report from think-tank Civitas, which called for the NHS to use the private sector more in extending provision for deprived areas, and suggested NHS leaders take lessons from Europe, where healthcare systems encourage this.
But it was only two weeks ago that the government announced a cut back on involvement from the independent sector, due to its poor value for money improvements in the NHS.
The health secretary unveiled the plan for the new practices at the NHS Alliance's annual conference, to what he called a 'unique' audience made up of primary care clinicians and managers.
He said to them: "It seems there is nothing you cannot achieve on behalf of your patients."
PCTs in the North West, North East, West Midlands, London and East of England Strategic Health Authorities are among those who will benefit the most.
The first new practices are expected to open their doors within a year's time and will be funded from the £250 million access fund announced in October.






