Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the sustainability of the GP network.

A general practitioner (GP) network is an informal collaboration of multiple practices. The Department and NHS England does not monitor, control or regulate these arrangements.

However, as the GP Forward View said, it is becoming increasingly normal for general practices to work together at scale and form into networks or federations of practices. Larger organisational forms will enable greater opportunities for practices to increase their flexibility to shape, buy or build additional services, working from a more effective platform with other local health and care providers, including community health services, social care and voluntary organisations. There will also be greater use of technology to connect primary care with others, for the sharing of best practice and sourcing of timely advice.