To ask the Minister of Health (i) for his assessment of the report A Workforce Fit for the Future: RCGPNI Retention Strategy; and (ii) whether he will implement the recommendations arising from the report.

I welcome the publication of the Royal College of General Practitioners ‘A Workforce Fit for the Future’ Retention Strategy and was pleased to speak at its recent launch. I recognise the ongoing challenges facing General Practice that are set out in the strategy and the impact of the increasing demand and workload pressures on GPs that it highlights.

My Department is progressing work in a number of the key areas outlined in the Retention Strategy. This includes the recently agreed 2024/25 General Medical Services (GMS) contract which is also an important step forward to achieving greater stability in General Practice. The contract makes significant progress against key aims identified by GPs in their negotiations, including provision of £5million dedicated to GP indemnity, as an interim measure, pending identification of the long-term model for future provision.

We are focussing on building the GP workforce, including the Attract, Recruit and Retain scheme, the GP Retainer Scheme and the GP Induction and Refresher Scheme, and increasing the number of GP training places to its current level of 121. We are also taking steps to increase the range of healthcare professionals working in primary care through the roll out of Multi-disciplinary Teams (MDTs) and the introduction of new roles such as Advanced Nurse Practitioners, additional General Practice Nurses and General Practice Pharmacists.

In terms of the GP Fellowship Scheme, my Department is considering how the Scheme might be further developed, subject to available funding, to extend the range and scope of Fellowship placement opportunities and provide for Educational Bursaries to be available for all Fellows.

My Department has also developed guidance which will improve management of the interface between primary and secondary care and is engaging with relevant NICS Departments and public bodies to explore ways to reduce the administrative burden on GP practices of completing non-statutory administrative tasks and the unnecessary directing of patients to GPs.

My Department is committed to working to identify solutions to the issues facing General Practice, including further roll out of MDTs, exploring digital solutions and working with GPs and HSC Trusts to promote stability in General Medical Services. However, progress on initiatives will be constrained by the availability of the necessary funding to support this.

Regrettably, the 2024-25 Budget outcome for my Department was significantly less than what we required and has resulted in 2.3% less funding in 2024-25 than we spent in 2023-24. Health will be facing significant budgetary pressures in 2024-25 with some extremely difficult decisions required to manage within the budget allocated.