General practice will see a falling proportion of the NHS budget in England, as other sectors benefit from the boost in funding announced in last year’s Budget.
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NHS board papers reveal that the proportion of centrally allocated funding for general practice will total 7.1% of the total NHS budget in 2018/19, although this does not include any funding allocated locally by CCGs. The proportion in 2016/17 was 7.2% and in 2015/16 it was 7.3%.
The general practice budget allocation from NHS England will increase by 4% from April, as promised, but this rise is offset by a 36% rise in budget to the ‘sustainability fund’ for trusts and a 7% increase in funding for specialised services.
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This is despite Chancellor Philip Hammond pledging £6.3m in new funding for the NHS by the end of this Parliament, including £2.8m for the day-to-day running of the service over the next three years.
The board paper says: ‘The planned 2018/19 allocation for general practice has been maintained to enable the expected cost uplifts in the 2018/19 GP contract to be funded.
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‘Local general practice allocations are unchanged from those previously published for 2018/19, and no changes to the funding formula have been implemented.’
