Oral Answers to Questions

Simon Burns Excerpts

Tuesday 9th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Last but not least, Sir Simon Burns.

[Sir Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con)]

14. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of GP practices in Chelmsford constituency.

[The Minister for Community and Social Care (Alistair Burt)]

NHS England advises that in Chelmsford there is a GP to patient ratio of 1,927 patients per whole-time equivalent GP, which is slightly lower than that for the Mid Essex clinical commissioning group area. The Care Quality Commission has inspected eight of the 13 Chelmsford GP practices—seven were rated “good” overall and one, Sutherland Lodge, was rated “outstanding”.

[Sir Simon Burns]

Does the Minister think it would be possible for the NHS review of the personal medical services scheme to ensure that the good and innovative work promoted by PMS, as exemplified by Sutherland Lodge surgery, can be sustained?

[Alistair Burt]

I hope so. I appreciate my right hon. Friend’s visit to my office yesterday with members of that surgery and NHS representatives. The £1.4 million released from PMS in Essex will be reinvested in the CCG area, but it is important that there is an opportunity for all practices to bid for that money so that some of the work already done under PMS gets the chance, if it is vital and still needed, to continue, which certainly includes services that are rated “outstanding”.