Joint Primary Care Statement on the Budget

“We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to the NHS as set out in the Budget. While the announcement did not provide the clear financial detail that primary care providers had hoped for, we welcome any steps that help strengthen the foundations of the NHS and support the services patients rely on every day.

Primary care is the front door of the NHS – of the 1.5 million patients treated by the NHS each day, more than 75% are seen and treated in primary care without the need to visit a hospital.

Yet, primary care continues to face severe pressures due to funding cuts, workforce shortages and a disproportionate focus on secondary care. Without meaningful investment to restore and rebuild the whole of primary care, there will be limited capacity to deliver the shifts from treatment to prevention and from hospital to community that the Government rightly seeks as part of a neighbourhood health service.

As the NHS strives to meet the rising demand of a growing ageing population and improve patients’ access to care close to home, primary care providers stand ready to work together to ease pressures on other parts of the health service. This will only be possible with clear and decisive action by Government using financial levers to support a long-term, funded plan that rebuilds capacity, supports innovation and places patient choice at the heart of the Government’s plans.

We are looking forward to receiving further details following the Budget and to working closely with the Government to ensure that all parts of primary care can deliver on the Government’s priorities for the NHS.”

Shiv Pabary, Chair, British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee

Janet Morrison, Chief Executive, Community Pharmacy England

Paul Carroll, Chair, the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee

Harjit Sandhu, Chief Executive, The National Association for Primary Care Audiology Providers