Responding to a report published by the think tank Policy Exchange on primary care, Ruth Rankine, director of primary care at the NHS Confederation, said:

   “Our primary care members will identify with many of the perspectives set out by Policy Exchange, including the need for a ‘rescue package’ supported with greater investment.

   “Despite ongoing recruitment and retention efforts, primary care teams are seeing more patients with fewer staff. They delivered over 29 million GP appointments last December with 61.5 million patients on their books, while playing a vital role in the Covid vaccination programme.

   “How and where their patients choose to access their care is changing so it is right this is reflected in future policy that builds on the commendable work teams are delivering already.

  “By working as networks and federations, primary care is delivering value for money to taxpayers and providing more services for patients that can keep them well and away from hospital.

  “These ‘at scale’ models of care are the best way of meeting the challenges the NHS faces in the coming years and so, the sector needs to be given flexibility and support to redesign services with their local communities in mind, rather than be weighed down by overly bureaucratic and rigid contracts.

  “Reforming the NHS is high on the Government’s agenda and our members are eager to help develop what that will look like.”