In response to the recent King’s Fund report, Dr Maureen Baker, chair of the Royal College of GPs said: “It is clear from the report today that whichever party comes into power after the general election in May, they need to commit to increasing the NHS budget by at least £8bn a year by the end of the next parliament.
“The NHS will be a key issue for many voters in the upcoming election – and general practice is its foundation.
“While we understand that all areas of the health service are under pressure, GPs and our teams conduct 90% of all NHS patient contacts in England, for just 8.4% of the budget.
“In doing so we alleviate pressures across the health service, keep our patients out of hospital by delivering care in the community and keep the NHS safe and sustainable.
“But we are struggling to meet the increasing needs of a growing and ageing population with more patients routinely presenting with multiple and chronic conditions, both physical and mental.”
