New Leadership Brings the Opportunity to Transform General Practice through Inclusive Engagement

With Labour’s recent victory, the future of healthcare, particularly general practice, stands at a pivotal moment. The new government, under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, has outlined several initiatives aimed at transforming primary care and ensuring its sustainability. Key efforts are promised to focus on improving access, investment in workforce, digital transformation, and funding for resources. 

While these goals are critical, equally important is how the new leadership will go about addressing them. General practice, although often acknowledged as the foundation of the healthcare system, has been excluded from critical conversations about the future of healthcare. For meaningful progress, it is essential to engage general practice partners and staff in shaping these crucial transformations. 

The Need for Comprehensive Engagement

At Qualitas, we believe a comprehensive approach is required to support and transform general practice. Aligned with the new government’s priorities, we recommend five key characteristics for the work that is to come: 

1. Strengthening primary care should be at the forefront of healthcare reform. Increasing funding for general practice, ensuring adequate resources, and enhancing infrastructure to support the growing demands on primary care services should be at the forefront of healthcare reform.
2. Addressing workforce challenges is paramount. Recent surveys show that only 49% GP practice staff think there are enough people in their teams to cope with the current workload, a survey has revealed. Investing in the recruitment, training, and retention of healthcare professionals is essential to alleviate current pressures and prepare for future demands. This includes providing continuous professional development opportunities and creating a supportive work environment to reduce burnout. 
3. Creating a culture of continuous improvement is vital for modernising general practice. Technology and opportunity will always change, meaning that more than focusing on an individual technological improvement, the new government needs to give primary care leaders the tools to create safe spaces for identifying and addressing issues in innovative ways. Ensuring that any transformation in care is not isolated to a single opportunity will support sustained improvements.
4. Effective collaboration and integration within Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are crucial. The new government should focus on fostering strong leadership and governance within ICSs to ensure seamless coordination between primary, secondary, and community care sectors. This will help improve patient care and optimise resource utilisation.
5. Engagement with primary care leaders needs to be at the heart of this approach. A recent survey found that 54% of PCN clinical directors believe commissioner engagement has worsened with ICBs compared to CCGs, and 64% of GPs disagree that ICBs will direct more funding to primary care. The new government must engage primary care leaders in shaping healthcare policies and strategies. Creating platforms for GP partners and clinical directors to contribute their insights and experiences ensures that reforms are grounded in the realities of frontline care, leading to more effective and sustainable outcomes.. 

At Qualitas, we are committed to supporting healthcare organisations in navigating challenges and achieving sustainable improvements. With Labour’s victory, there is a renewed opportunity to prioritise the needs of general practice and take decisive action to support primary care. Placing practice and PCN leaders at the centre of efforts to strengthen primary care is the only way that the new government will achieve what we all need right now—a resilient and sustainable healthcare system that meets the needs of both patients and healthcare professionals. 

Together, we can ensure that general practice remains the cornerstone of the NHS, providing high-quality care to communities across the UK. 

About Qualitas 

Qualitas has been a trusted partner of the NHS for over a decade, specialising in organisational health and development within primary care. Our comprehensive approach integrates leadership, workforce development, and operational improvements to support practices in delivering high-quality patient care. With extensive experience and a commitment to excellence, Qualitas is dedicated to helping healthcare organisations navigate the complexities of modern healthcare and achieve sustainable success.