Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the article Practice under pressure: how can the exodus of GPs be reversed published on 31 August by Dr Imelda McDermott and Dr Sharon Spooner, how they intend to make sustainable work schedules an integral part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan commits to implementing the actions from the NHS People Plan, including ensuring staff can work flexibly. However, as independent contractors, it is for general practitioner practices to decide staffing levels and distribution of work across their teams.