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2020.09.08
1 Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier of the Minister for Health and Social Services
regarding GP services: (OQ.217/2020)
Welcome back to another question session. Let us see if we can get some straight answers. Will the Minister state how many times (since the end of the contract with G.P.s (general practitioners) to deliver services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic) his officers have engaged in discussions with G.P. representatives about new schemes for the funding of primary care and improving affordable access to such care for vulnerable groups; and will he also state what the timescale is for reaching agreement on the delivery of these schemes?
Deputy R.J. Renouf of St. Ouen (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
While the temporary G.P. contract put in place during the COVID emergency has nothing to do with the longer-term government proposals to improve access to G.P. services for vulnerable groups, I can inform the Assembly that officers did meet with G.P. representatives within 4 days of the G.P. contract ending and once again, a fortnight later.
[9:45]
Officers have also maintained regular email contact on the issue. So officers from Health and Community Services, Customer and Local Services, and Strategic Policy, Planning and Performance are working with G.P. representatives on the scheme that will improve access to G.P.s. The intention is for such a scheme to commence on 1st January 2021.
4.1.1 Deputy G.P. Southern :
The key is reaching agreement. How close does the Minister consider is his goal of reaching agreement with G.P.s about how they are to be rewarded for introducing affordable access to a significant number of vulnerable people.
The Deputy of St. Ouen :
Negotiations are proceeding well. Both Government and G.P.s share the same intention, which of course is to improve access for vulnerable people. We are together aiming to commence the scheme by 1st January.