Meetings
NDM8582 Welsh Conservatives Debate - GP practices and funding
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Meeting: 15/05/2024 - Plenary (Item 7)
Welsh Conservatives Debate - GP practices and funding
NDM8582 Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes the Access to GP Practices in Wales
report published by the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, which highlights
the importance of GP practices in alleviating pressures on hospitals and
supporting patients across Wales.
2. Regrets that in 2012 Wales had 473 GP
practices, but as of December 2023, this has decreased to 374.
3. Further regrets that only 6.1 per cent of
NHS Wales funding went towards general practice in the year 2020-21 and that
less than 8 per cent of NHS Wales funding goes towards general practice at
present, which is lower than in 2005-6.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) take urgent action to ensure Wales doesn’t
see it’s 100th GP practice closure in just over a decade;
b) adopt the BMA Cymru Wales Save Our
Surgeries key campaign calls of 11 per cent of NHS Wales funding to be spent on
general practice and produce a workforce strategy to ensure that Wales trains,
recruits and retains enough GPs to move towards the OECD average number of GPs
per 1000 people; and
c) ensure the full Barnett consequential
arising from NHS spending by the UK Government is made available for the health
service in Wales.
Older People’s Commissioner for Wales report Access to GP
Practices in Wales
The following amendments were tabled:
Amendment 1 Jane
Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Recognises the importance of general
practice.
2. Welcomes progress with the Primary Care
Model for Wales which supports care in local communities, closer to people’s
homes.
3. Notes that:
a) the number of GPs in Wales has remained
stable;
b) the reduction in overall practice numbers reflects
a trend towards larger practices as GPs seek to reduce costs and maximise
resources for patient-facing activity;
c) the current recruitment target of 160 new
GP trainees each year is consistently being exceeded; and
d) the Welsh Government is working with the
GP profession on a programme of contract reform to reduce bureaucracy for GPs
and improve patient experience.
4. Recognises the Welsh Budget 2024-25
increased funding for the Welsh NHS by more than 4 per cent compared to less
than 1 per cent in England.
If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3
will be de-selected.
Amendment 2 Heledd
Fychan (South Wales Central)
Delete sub-point 4 (b) and replace with:
adopt the key campaign demands of BMA Cymru
Wales's Save Our Surgeries to restore the proportion of the Welsh NHS budget
spent in general practice to 8.7 per cent with an aspiration to increase to be
closer to 11 per cent and to create a workforce strategy to ensure that
Wales trains, recruits and retains enough GPs to move towards the OECD average
number of GPs per 1000 people;
Amendment 3 Heledd
Fychan (South Wales Central)
Delete sub-point 4 (c) and replace with:
make a formal request to the UK Government for a comprehensive review of the Barnett formula to ensure fair funding for all budget areas in Wales, including health and social care;
Minutes:
The
item started at 17.19
Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred
until Voting Time.
A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:
NDM8582 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes the Access to GP Practices in Wales report published by
the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, which highlights the importance of
GP practices in alleviating pressures on hospitals and supporting patients
across Wales.
2. Regrets that in 2012 Wales had 473 GP practices, but as of
December 2023, this has decreased to 374.
3. Further regrets that only 6.1 per cent of NHS Wales funding
went towards general practice in the year 2020-21 and that less than 8 per cent
of NHS Wales funding goes towards general practice at present, which is lower
than in 2005-6.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) take urgent action to ensure Wales doesn’t see it’s 100th GP
practice closure in just over a decade;
b) adopt the BMA Cymru Wales Save Our Surgeries key campaign calls
of 11 per cent of NHS Wales funding to be spent on general practice and produce
a workforce strategy to ensure that Wales trains, recruits and retains enough
GPs to move towards the OECD average number of GPs per 1000 people; and
c) ensure the full Barnett consequential arising from NHS spending
by the UK Government is made available for the health service in Wales.
Older
People’s Commissioner for Wales report Access to GP Practices in Wales
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
16 |
0 |
37 |
53 |
The motion without amendment was not agreed.
The following amendments were tabled:
Amendment
1 Jane Hutt (Vale of
Glamorgan)
Delete all
and replace with:
To
propose that the Senedd:
1.
Recognises the importance of general practice.
2.
Welcomes progress with the Primary Care Model for Wales which supports care in
local communities, closer to people’s homes.
3.
Notes that:
a) the
number of GPs in Wales has remained stable;
b) the
reduction in overall practice numbers reflects a trend towards larger practices
as GPs seek to reduce costs and maximise resources for patient-facing activity;
c) the
current recruitment target of 160 new GP trainees each year is consistently
being exceeded; and
d) the
Welsh Government is working with the GP profession on a programme of contract
reform to reduce bureaucracy for GPs and improve patient experience.
4.
Recognises the Welsh Budget 2024-25 increased funding for the Welsh NHS by more
than 4 per cent compared to less than 1 per cent in England.
A vote
was taken on amendment 1:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
27 |
0 |
26 |
53 |
Amendment 1 was agreed.
As amendment
1 was agreed, amendments 2 and 3 were de-selected.
A vote was taken on the motion as amended:
NDM8582 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
To
propose that the Senedd:
1.
Recognises the importance of general practice.
2.
Welcomes progress with the Primary Care Model for Wales which supports care in
local communities, closer to people’s homes.
3.
Notes that:
a) the
number of GPs in Wales has remained stable;
b) the
reduction in overall practice numbers reflects a trend towards larger practices
as GPs seek to reduce costs and maximise resources for patient-facing activity;
c) the
current recruitment target of 160 new GP trainees each year is consistently
being exceeded; and
d) the
Welsh Government is working with the GP profession on a programme of contract
reform to reduce bureaucracy for GPs and improve patient experience.
4.
Recognises the Welsh Budget 2024-25 increased funding for the Welsh NHS by more
than 4 per cent compared to less than 1 per cent in England.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
27 |
0 |
26 |
53 |
The motion as amended was agreed.