CCGs have until 23 December to submit spending plans to NHS England spelling out how they will meet funding commitments set out in the GP Forward View, which pledged to deliver a £2.4bn annual increase in GP funding by 2020/21 and to restore the share of NHS funding spent on general practice to at least 10%.
A 13-point checklist drawn up by the GPC, sent out with a letter from its LMC engagement lead Dr Chandra Kanneganti, spells out key spending commitments that LMCs can hold CCGs to account against.
As a bare minimum, the GPC says LMCs should ensure that local spending plans define how access to general practice will be improved, how transformational support funding will be spent to help general practice, and how ring-fenced cash for training 'care navigators' and medical assistants, and promoting online consultations will be spent.
GP funding
GPC chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: 'NHS England’s own guidance explicitly specifies that CCGs need to set out clear plans by 23 December for the delivery of the GP Forward View.
'The GPC has produced a checklist of GP Forward View commitments to enable LMCs and practices to hold CCGs to account, and ensure that the resources in the GP Forward View are delivered in a timely manner, to frontline staff. This is vital to relieve pressure on practices, as a recent BMA survey found that eight in 10 GPs say that workload pressures mean they are struggling to provide safe, quality patient care.'
The GPC checklist highlights funding including the pledge to spend £3 per head in 2017/18 and 2018/19 from a £171m transformation support fund drawn from CCG allocations.
It also highlights commitments including the £40m GP resilience fund, the £900m estates and transformation fund and the GP access fund - formerly the prime minister's challenge fund.
LMCs are also warned to look out for evidence of workforce plans, steps to reduce GP workload and build infrastructure.
