Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to (a) allocate additional funding and (b) mitigate the effect on levels of demand of GP referrals to hospitals during the covid-19 outbreak.

In July, the Chancellor announced an extra £31.9 billion for health services, plus an additional £16.4 billion to tackle COVID-19.

The Government has also allocated £3 billion of additional funding to support the National Health Service by ensuring Nightingale hospital surge capacity is available during winter, that the NHS has ongoing access to additional independent sector capacity and providing funding to support the safe discharge of patients from NHS hospitals. The Prime Minister also committed £450 million capital funding to upgrade accident and emergency departments ahead of winter.

In August NHS England wrote to all practices about the COVID-19 Support fund for general practitioners. This is reimbursing the sector for the additional net costs incurred as a result of the pandemic; specifically absence cover, bank holiday opening and the additional costs of personal protective equipment and other consumables.