GP services in Hackney

This week, I sought assurances from the health minister and NHS England about the impact on Hackney residents from the phasing out of the minimum income guarantee for GP practices:

Ms Meg Hillier MP (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op):

Earlier the Secretary of State and his Minister said that the minimum practice income guarantee was unfair. What is unfair is that so many practices in Hackney and east London are set to close, in an area where there is great deprivation. What are they going to do to make sure that patients still have practices to go to?

Dr Daniel Poulter MP (Minister in the Department of Health):

We have had this discussion. A payments system that is almost 20 years out of date and is not funding patients according to clinical need or is not per head of population will not deliver good care. The payments system needs to be changed and NHS England is working with practices that are facing challenges to address those challenges and ensure that high-quality patient care can still be delivered locally.

Later in the day, I met with Anne Rainsberry, Director of NHS England in London, who assured me that NHS England will set up a programme that will work with practices in Hackney that are facing difficulties.

I will continue to monitor this issue closely and ensure that Hackney residents have the access to the GP care that they need.

A link to the full question time on Hansard can be found here