Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with GPs and medical defence organisations on providing appropriate funding to meet additional costs incurred following changes to the discount rate in February 2017.

The Department is aware that the rise in the cost of indemnity as a result of the change in the personal discount rate announced by the then Lord Chancellor (Rt. hon. Elizabeth Truss MP) in February 2017 is an area of concern for general practitioners (GPs).

The Department has been assessing the potential effect of the discount rate change by working closely with GPs and Medical Defence Organisations to ensure that appropriate funding is available to meet the additional costs to GPs, recognising the crucial role they play in the delivery of National Health Service care.

On 12 October 2017, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced that the Department is planning, subject to examination of relevant issues, the development of a state-backed indemnity scheme for general practice in England.

The Department will continue to work with the Royal College of General Practitioners, the British Medical Association and other GP representatives to engage with the sector on this issue.