GPS sound alarm about 'outdated' funding model

GENERAL practitioners called for an overhaul of an “outdated, unfair” funding model, warning of an “enormous and growing” inequity putting patient safety at risk.

- CHRIS HAINES

Doctors gave evidence as the Senedd’s health committee began an inquiry into the future of GPs amid concerns about more than 100 surgeries across Wales shutting since 2012.

James Pink, a GP partner in Llanishen, Cardiff, expressed concerns about the Carr-Hill formula, used to allocate funding to practices, which was designed in the late 1990s.

He said: "There's almost no correlation between funding and deprivation which beggars belief. And the correlation between age, sex and funding isn’t as clear cut as you'd think."

Dr Pink told the committee variation across Wales means an average practice could be £862,000 worse off than another similarly looking after 10,000 patients.

Noel McLoughlin, a partner at St Isan Road Surgery in Heath, said his colleague found Cardiff and Vale GPs were the worst-funded in the whole of Wales and England. Dr McLoughlin wrote to the committee: "This means that the Carr-Hill formula regards Cardiff as the wealthiest and healthiest area with the lowest needs.

"This is clearly nonsense. The inequity in funding in Wales alone is enormous - worse still, it is growing. This must stop or the future for general practice and primary care in Cardiff is grim. No-one will want to work here."