Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how often named GPs should make a visit to their allocated care homes.

On 1 May, National Health Service clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) were asked by NHS England and NHS Improvement to take immediate steps to implement consistent weekly care home ‘check ins’ to review patients identified as a clinical priority for assessment and care, drawing on general practice and community services staff. These checks should be carried out remotely wherever appropriate. The weekly check in should include appropriate and consistent medical oversight and input from a general practitioner (GP) and/ or geriatrician (with the frequency and form of that input determined by clinical judgement). CCGs were also asked to ensure all care homes have a named clinical lead.

The National Health Service (General Medical Services [GMS] Contracts) Regulations 2004 (as amended) includes a requirement for all patients to be assigned a named accountable GP who has overall responsibility for that patient’s care. This does not necessarily mean that patients will see their named accountable GP for every appointment.