Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that general practitioners are taught objective methods of assessing serious illness in babies.

The training curriculum for general practitioners (GPs) is written by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), and has to meet the standards set by the General Medical Council. Whilst the RCGP curriculum does not highlight specific conditions for GPs to be aware of, it instead emphasises the skills and approaches that a GP must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients.

GPs have responsibility for maintaining their continuing professional development, ensuring that they can provide high quality care to all patients. Health Education England, through its local offices, has a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas.