A traffic light system for assessing work changes in general practice and whether or not they are compatible with the General Practice Forward View
General practice finds itself in a perilous state with morale rock bottom; GPs are leaving the profession and inadequate numbers joining. Although predicted for some years, NHS England now recognises this because of campaigning by LMCs, GPC and RCGP but also because of the obvious realities that the GP manpower problems are causing across England. The response is the General Practice forward View (GPFV) and that has been endorsed by the RCGP (Maureen Baker – campaign news May 2016) and also supported by the GPC. I think both organisations welcome the change in rhetoric, the promised resources that will flow to general practice and the cessation of dumping of un-resourced work onto general practice. There is however somewhat of a credibility gap between the GP on the coalface and the organisations that are welcoming this change in culture. Therefore, it is imperative that we hold NHS England to account. The resources promised need to flow and the culture change preventing the dumping of work on general practice needs to be felt. A major vehicle for delivering on the GP forward view we are told will be the new STP structure where the city council and public health have considerable influence. Thus we need to hold not only NHS England to account but any organisation that is influential in directing changes that positively affect the GP practice workforce practice – all such changes should be compatible with the spirit of the GPFV.