Primary Care: Targets

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Excerpts

Tuesday 13th October 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

The noble Lord makes an interesting point. I do not have an answer to give him today, but perhaps I may reflect on that and come back to him.

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, clearly the role of community pharmacists could be enormous in the future, but in the end we still need more GPs. I have yet to be convinced that the Government really do have a programme that will effectively make sure that current GPs stay in the profession and that new GPs enter it. Can the Minister confirm that a number of the seven-day working pilots involving primary care have had to be cut back because of a shortage of GPs?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

I cannot confirm that a number of the pilots have been cut back because of a shortage of GPs. I assure the noble Lord that we are committed to having an additional 5,000 doctors and a further 5,000 professionals working in general practice by 2020. That is a key priority for the Government.