Emergency funding should be allocated to help struggling practices survive, a major campaign launched by our sister publication Pulse claims.
Management in Practice is backing Stop Practice Closures together with the British Medical Association (BMA), the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and many leading names in general practice.
A recent Pulse investigation found that nearly 100 practices are facing imminent closure, with more set to follow.
With this in mind, the magazine hopes to raise awareness about the precarious state of many practices and the potential effects on patients if they are allowed to close.
BMA Council chair Dr Mark Porter said: “Pulse are right to highlight that GP services are under unprecedented strain from a combination of rising patient demand and failing resources that is leaving many GP practices close to breaking point.
“As the BMA’s Your GP Cares campaign highlights, we need long term, sustained investment in general practice and not closures that will badly affect patient care.”
RCGP honorary treasurer Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard said she is “delighted” that Pulse is launching a campaign to highlight the current crisis facing general practice.
And Professor Clare Gerada, former chair of the RCGP and current clinical chair for primary care transformation at NHS England (London) said: “General practice faces extinction. We must protect what we know works for patients – that is continuity of care delivered by expert generalists in the context of their families and communities. We must fight to protect this.
“Pulse’s campaign is important and together with the RCGP and BMA campaigns will hopefully alert the public to the risks they and the NHS face if GPs disappear.”
Victoria Vaughan, editor-in-chief at Management in Practice said: “The manifold pressures on GP practices are mounting. Managing cash-flow in an increasing complex and stretched environment is pushing some practices to breaking point.
“Practice closures under such circumstances will leave both practice managers, practice nurses and ultimately patients worse off – this is why we are supporting the Pulse campaign.”
For more information, visit the Stop Practice Closures page on Management in Practice.
