Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the merits of changes to the indemnity arrangements for GPs to encourage more permanent rather than locum contracts.

The state-backed scheme is being designed to meet the needs of current and future professionals in general practice, offer affordable cover for these professionals, and offer value for money for taxpayers.

The scheme is intended to cover clinical negligence liabilities of all general practice staff delivering primary medical services commissioned under General Medical Services, Personal Medical Services and Alternative Provider Medical Services contracts and any integrated urgent care delivered by general practice through schedule 2L of the NHS Standard Contract. The scheme will therefore also cover locums engaged in the delivery of these services.

A key objective of the policy is that it contributes to improving retention and recruitment in general practice, therefore increasing workforce capacity and stability, and improving access to general practice services for patients.