Health Minister Simon Hamilton has announced a further investment of up to £17 million to support primary care.
On a visit to Knockbreda Health Centre he also announced that he had received the report of the GP-led Working Group which he had established in October 2015 to look at the issues facing GP-led primary care services in Northern Ireland.
The Minister said, ‘We face challenges across our health and social care system, given rising demand for services. Our primary care services are at the frontline in facing this challenge. This is why I established a cross-cutting working group to look at measures to ensure citizens can continue to access world class primary healthcare advice, treatment and facilities.
‘I have already taken action to address some of the key issues identified by the working group. I have invested in the biggest increase in GP training places in more than a decade and I have announced a multi-year investment putting up to 300 pharmacists in GP surgeries by 2020/21. These actions will help to address workload pressures and improve care for patients. But I recognise the pressure that our GP services are under and that there is more to do.
‘Today’s report will be carefully considered as we take further steps to ensure the future of general practice. I thank all those in the group for their hard work and commitment in producing this report.’
The Minister also announced the conclusion of this year’s contract negotiations with British Medical Association’s GP Committee for Northern Ireland.
The 2016/17 contract will see significant further investment in GP-led services. Including the already-announced investment in practice-based pharmacists, the investment package will total over £7 million. In addition, the Minister has made available up to £10 million in financial loans to invest in practice buildings and infrastructure.
The Minister commented, ‘Our investment in the 2016/17 contract meets the recommendation of the independent Doctors and Dentists Review Board, will help to address rising demand and will ensure we adopt innovative new ways of working such as online appointment booking and repeat prescriptions. By working at scale through federations our GPs can help us ensure services are delivered in the community and help address some of the pressures facing our hospitals.’
£2 million of the new investment comes from the £30 million Transformation Fund. The funding will be focused on addressing the pressures presented by a growing and ageing population, with more staff to support those living with long-term conditions.
In addition, the Minister announced that £1.25million from the Transformation Fund would be invested in district nursing and health visiting services, putting more nurses on the ground.
