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Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Monday, 20 July 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 7 September 2015 (named day). It was answered by Alistair Burt (Conservative) on Monday, 7 September 2015 on behalf of the Department of Health.

General Practitioners: Medical Equipment

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to upgrade diagnostic equipment in GP surgeries across England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Answer

It is for individual GP practices to ensure that their diagnostic equipment is fit for purpose.

The majority of GP Practices receive funding through three main income streams:

- Global Sum – covering the costs of running a general practice, including some essential GP services. This is calculated using the Carr-Hill formula that takes into account, for example, patient demographics, rurality and deprivation factors.

- The Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF), an optional incentive scheme for GPs.

- Enhanced services, setting out additional services that practices can choose to provide.

Additional payments are also made to practices, for example, seniority payments as well as payments associated with costs of providing premises.

Practices are then responsible for meeting the costs of their business, including funding and maintaining any equipment they may need.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
8006
Session
2015-16
Subjects
Diagnosis General practitioners Medical equipment
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk