North London GP Practices: Improved Access Amidst Funding ConcernsNorth London GP Practices: Improved Access Amidst Funding Concerns GP practices in North London have expanded appointment availability and shortened wait times, but significant challenges remain, including inadequate funding, high staff turnover, and declining patient satisfaction. A report presented to the North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) on July 25th highlighted concerns raised by patients about GP services. Patient satisfaction has reportedly declined in recent years. In response, NCL ICB implemented a “Delivery Plan for Restoring Access to Primary Care” in May 2023, aiming to enhance patient experience and streamline practice operations. Dr. Katie Coleman, a GP in Islington and Clinical Director for Primary Care at NCL ICB, presented the latest results following the implementation of the plan. She emphasized the crucial role of GP practices in the NHS, handling over 90% of all activity. North Central London GPs attend over 800,000 appointments monthly, 90% of which are offered within the required two-week timeframe. However, Dr. Coleman emphasized the need for ongoing focus on GP retention and recruitment, as well as addressing the inequitable funding across the country. “Without this, services would not be able to keep up with the demand that GPs are experiencing on a daily basis,” she said, noting that only 8% of the NHS budget is invested in GP practices. The report acknowledged the efforts made by North London GP practices to improve access but stressed the need for sustainable solutions to address funding challenges, staff retention, and patient satisfaction.
GP practices in North London have increased the number of appointments available and reduced waiting times, but inadequate funding, poor staff retention and declining patient satisfaction remain major problems.
Members of a joint health review and scrutiny committee heard on Thursday 25 July that patients had raised concerns about GP services. A report from the NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) found that patient satisfaction had “declined” in recent years.
In May 2023, NCL ICB created a “Delivery Plan for Restoring Access to Primary Care.” The plan was to restore the patient experience and satisfaction with access, implement operational and technical changes to the way practices operated, and address the “8am rush” for appointments.
Dr Katie Coleman, a GP in Islington and Clinical Director for Primary Care at NCL ICB, shared the latest local results following the implementation of the plan.
Coleman said: “I think it’s important to recognise that GP practices provide over 90 per cent of all activity in the NHS, and in North Central London that’s almost 95 per cent of activity, so we do a significant amount of work in the NHS.”
Every month, GPs in the boroughs of Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Camden and Islington attend more than 800,000 appointments, of which 780,000 are in GP surgeries and 30,000 are out of hours.
More than 50 per cent of appointments are made ‘same day’ and GPs in North Central London consistently meet the two-week requirement to offer an appointment in more than 90 per cent of cases.
But despite improved retention levels among GPs, Dr Coleman said continued focus is needed on retention and recruitment and that the “inequity around funding” for GPs across the country must be addressed.
Without this, she said, services would not be able to “keep up with the demand that GPs are experiencing on a daily basis”. She added that only 8% of the NHS budget was being used to invest in NHS practices.
North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Thursday 25 July 2024.
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