Developing a primary care strategy

The pressures on GPs are currently huge. Moreover the large growth in housing that is being planned by LAs will exacerbate the problem. The NHS needs to structure its input to the LAs to ensure that Section106/ Community Infrastructure Levies required for new primary care devt are requested in the framework of the overall strategy. Currently the developers are avoiding many of the funding needs by clever legal ploys and the failure of the NHS to submit a structured plan.

Risks and deficits should be transparent, for appropriate responses from those responsible.

The NHS reforms were based on the largely unchallenged, right-sounding idea that, because GPs are at the coal face, they know what services to commission. But it's the wrong metaphor. It could equally be said that, because GPs are in the thick of it, getting on with delivering health care, they can’t always see the wood for the trees when it comes to strategic commissioning decisions (especially in areas such as mental health). Also, using GPs to commission is a waste of what they are expert in.

Somewhere along the line, those in government forgot what G.P's trained for.They are not accountants, their primary interest is of a medical nature. It is clear that the original strategy is failing miserably, Doctors are weighed down with needless bureaucracy, unworkable policies and ongoing restrictions. Let's get back to doctors being doctors.

Improvements to access are needed in primary care for alcohol treatment. A lot of complaints are made about the huger amount of A&E and hospital resources taken up by alcohol-related problems. if primary care is to be more effective better training and services are needed in primary care regarding alcohol problems

For too long the NHS has tried to deliver services within the Primary sector without taking into account the reducing numbers of GP's, Practice nurses, Community Nurses, Midwifes etc as a result in many areas across England the GP service is near to collapse. Taking services nearer to home is laudable but we have to be honest about the available resources and put in place a strategy that is deliverable and meets the basic needs of the patients. Finally the public have an important role to play in supporting the NHS by taking responsibility for their own health.

I believe that GP's are best placed to understand the needs of their patients in regards to services, however it is clear that as more services are put into the community many GP's are seeing this as an opportunity to take on more specialised work which reduces the number of appointments.

For too long the NHS has tried to deliver services within the Primary sector without taking into account the reducing numbers of GP's, Practice nurses, Community Nurses, Midwifes etc as a result in many areas across England the GP service is near to collapse. Taking services nearer to home is laudable but we have to be honest about the available resources and put in place a strategy that is deliverable and meets the basic needs of the patients. Finally the public have an important role to play in supporting the NHS by taking responsibility for their own health.

As planning authorities move from S106 development levies to the Community Infrastructure Levy, they need advice from NHS England on the need for healthcare infrastructure. Under the CIL "123 lists" must be produced by the planning authority identifying what local needs will be met from the CIL. Healthcare needs to be there, but some authorities have already published their 123 lists without mentioning healthcare.