Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support rural GP practices.

We recognise that patients are struggling to access general practice (GP), and more must be done to improve the sustainability of the National Health Service both nationally and in rural areas. The Government is committed to fixing the front door to the NHS, which is crucial for its long-term sustainability.

We acknowledge the urgent challenge of ensuring rural areas have the resources to continue serving their patients. To address this, we will increase funding for GPs and primary care and shift the focus of the NHS from hospitals to community-based care.

We will also ensure rural areas have the necessary workforce to provide integrated, patient-centered services. We are committed to training thousands more GPs across the country, including in rural areas, starting with the training places outlined in the NHS’s Long-Term Workforce Plan. We have also committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme which will increase the number of appointments delivered in general practice.

This will increase capacity, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and alleviate the pressure on those currently working in the system.