Premises scheme faces breakdown

At least one in five projects to improve GP premises risk collapse because of a lack of funding commitment. The BMA GPs committee issued the warning as it released the results of its survey of GP funding applicants. A total of 200 GP practices which responded to the survey have received ‘approval in principle’ for bids to upgrade or expand their premises under NHS England’s Primary Care Transformation Fund. More than 80 per cent of these 200 applicants, which represent 20 per cent of all such approved projects, expect to exceed an NHS England completion deadline of March 2016, and risk a loss of their funding. Commenting on the findings, GPC lead on premises Brian Balmer said: ‘These results paint a depressing picture of a faltering programme of investment in GP practices which has so far failed to deliver the improvements promised by Government. 'Many GPs are being held back from delivering enough appointments and services to their patients because they are having to use inadequate and cramped buildings.’ The Government last year announced it would invest £250m a year between 2014/18 in GP facilities. It followed a campaign led by the BMA about the impact on patient care of inadequate GP premises.   Delays and extensions So far, 1,000 practices have had their applications approved in principle by the fund. The main findings from the BMA survey include: Of those whose bids had been approved in principle, 54 per cent say they ...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news