General Practitioners

(asked on 16th December 2014) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the proposed changes to the funding formula for general practices take account of the pressures on practices with a high level of deprivation amongst their patients.


Answered by
Earl Howe Portrait
Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
This question was answered on 31st December 2014

Typically, at least half of the money that a General Medical Services practice receives is in the form of 'Global Sum' derived through the Carr-Hill formula. The Carr-Hill formula, as agreed with the British Medical Association, is used to allocate the Global Sum and related payments on the basis of the practice population, weighted for factors that influence relative needs and costs.

Currently, the Carr-Hill formula includes a weighting for deprivation factors. It includes adjustments for levels of chronic disease and premature mortality, both of which are highly correlated with social deprivation. This was based on academic research to establish which factors – in addition to age and sex – best predict variations in workload between GP practices. A national review of the Carr-Hill formula is ongoing.

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