GPs and patients could have more say over funding decisions under a Conservative government after a plan advocating the move was endorsed by the party.
The National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) says practices and their patients should be more involved in commissioning issues, adding the current system had failed the NHS across the board.
Conservative Shadow Health Minister Mark Simmonds said he supported the NAPC’s manifesto, and was particularly impressed by its focus on local input.
“I welcome many of the NAPC’s proposals, as they are in line with Conservative Party thinking on primary care,” he said.
“We welcome their call for GPs to have accountability for resources, as we have proposed a system of GP commissioning in which GPs hold real, not notional, budgets.”
NAPC officials conceded that their proposals were broadly in line with Tory thinking on the issue, but added they were “hoping to get support from politicians from all sides” in upcoming meetings with the three main parties.
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