NDM8582 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;