MP urges Health Minister to support rural GP surgeries in Cumbria

In Parliament this afternoon, Cumbrian MP Tim Farron challenged ministers in the Department for Health to reintroduce specific to support under-threat rural GP surgeries.

Speaking during Health Questions in the House of Commons, Tim said: "There was a net loss of 577 full-time equivalent GPs last year. A contributing factor in rural communities was the Government's decision a few years ago to remove the minimum practice income guarantee, making it unsustainable for small surgeries - and many rural surgeries are necessarily small - to survive.

"Will the Minister consider whether it is time to reintroduce a strategic small surgeries fund, to allow smaller rural surgeries in communities such as mine to survive and thrive?"

Responding, the Minister for Primary Care, Neil O'Brien said: "The funding formula already takes account of rurality. I hear the honourable Gentleman's argument, but it is worth noting that our GPs are doing more than ever before.

"In the year to April there were nearly 10% more appointments than before the pandemic, or 20 more appointments in every GP practice per working day. GPs are working incredibly hard, as well as putting in extra staff, and I pay tribute to them for the sheer amount of work they are doing."