16.12.15
Long delays to GP transformation fund threaten one in five projects – BMA
Long delays to the government’s £1bn Primary Care Transformation Fund, designed to improve GP practices and out-of-hospital infrastructure, are putting one in five investment projects on the brink of collapse, the BMA has warned.
The Transformation Fund is a four-year investment split into four annual payments to help practices make improvements to premises and technology. It was part of the extra NHS funding announced in December of last year.
But in a poll of 200 GP practices, drawn from the 1,000 who have had their transformation fund bids approved “in principle”, the BMA found that more than half had experienced bidding delays of over six months.
For those that received initial approval for the fund, a quarter cited “refusal to meet recurrent costs by NHS England or the local CCG” as a major obstacle. Other reasons for delays included a “lack of leadership or clear process” and a “lack of expertise within the local NHS England team”.
And around one in five of those experiencing delays have now been told that their local NHS area teams might withdraw funding for their project.
Dr Brian Balmer, BMA GP committee lead on premises, said: “These results paint a depressing picture of a faltering programme of investment in GP practices which has so far failed to deliver the improvements promised by the government. Many GPs are being held back from delivering enough appointments and services to their patients because they are having to use inadequate and cramped buildings.
“It is deeply worrying that half of GP practices who have had bids approved are experiencing delays and that a range of obstacles are to blame, from a lack of expertise in NHS England to a general deficit of leadership.
“Most worrying is that one in five are being refused support from NHS England and CCGs for the recurring costs of maintaining new facilities. This could mean that these projects cannot be completed and the bids could simply collapse.”
As part of the new fund, almost 40% of bids accepted were to build an extension to a GP building, while another 30% were to improve an existing facility. Only 18% were aimed at building new sites.
But despite the government creating the extra investment “with a lot of fanfare”, Balmer said GPs are actually starting to doubt if these improvements will ever be delivered.
Yet an NHS England spokesperson said: "The Primary Care Transformation Fund is a major four-year investment, not a quick fix and this small survey does not represent the full picture.
"The ambition and range of projects we have seen means some projects may take longer than expected but we are committed to supporting these projects next year, subject to approval. We are working hard to ensure that this funding delivers improved services for patients, not just now, but well into the future."