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<p>The Government has committed to ensuring that everyone can see their general practitioner
(GP) at a convenient time by increasing the availability of routine appointments in
general practice in the evening and at the weekend.</p><p> </p><p>By March 2019, all
clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) should provide extended access to general practice
for the whole of their registered population (subject to local demand). This includes
ensuring that access is available during peak times of demand, including bank holidays
and across the Easter, Christmas and New Year periods. ‘Refreshing NHS plans’, published
by NHS England in February 2018, included the deliverable for CCGs to provide extended
access to GP services for 100% of their population by October 2018. This was to ensure
additional capacity was in place ahead of winter 2018.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England and
Health Education England (HEE) are working together with the profession to increase
the GP workforce. This includes measures to boost recruitment, address the reasons
why GPs are leaving the profession, and encourage GPs to return to practice.</p><p>
</p><p>The number of doctors entering GP speciality training has been increasing year
on year. This year, HEE recruited the highest number of GP trainees ever - 3,473 GP
trainees against a target of 3,250, a 10% increase on last year.</p><p> </p><p>Greater
skill mix is also key to releasing capacity in general practice. We have committed
to investment in the multidisciplinary workforce in general practice. As of September
2018, there were over 3,700 additional clinical staff, excluding GPs, working in general
practice compared to 2015; consisting of over 600 more nurses and 3,000 more other
direct patient care staff.</p>
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