Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the financial implications to GP surgeries as a result of the NHS suggested eligibility criteria for the GP at Hand Service which deems those with complex medical needs illegible; and if he will make a statement.

People with complex medical needs are not automatically ineligible to register with GP at Hand, however for some patients it may be more clinically appropriate to register with a practice closer to where they live.

A clinical review of the GP at Hand service has already been undertaken by NHS England and the Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The clinical review recommends on-going assessment of the wider system impacts of the service in the independent evaluation being commissioned by the CCG.