Revitalising the GP partnership model

摘要

"I don't think we've reached the point where it would benefit patients, GPs, or the system for us to move to a salaried model," says Nigel Watson, who has been appointed to chair an independent review of the GP partnership model. This was also the view of the former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, who ordered the review earlier this year in response to growing concerns aboutthe rapid drop in the numberofGP partners. The figures are stark. Almost 2000 partners were lost between 2015 and 2017,while thenumber of GPs working as locums almost doubled.ln this same period, the proportion of GPs who are partners fell from 59% to 54%. "If this trend carries on it's a disasterforthe profession. There won't be any partners left to run partnerships," warns Watson. "The partnership model still has a lot to offer but it needs revitalising."