Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to increase the number of practice staff working in GP surgeries in North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group.

There are now 36,294 full-time equivalent general practitioners (GPs) working and training in the National Health Service, an increase of 1,051 (3.0%) since September 2010 and a commitment to train and retain 5,000 additional GPs by 2020.

NHS England is working with the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group, and Health Education East Of England to increase the number of practice staff working in GP surgeries across north east Essex.

NHS England is also working with the Royal College of General Practitioners, and the British Medical Association nationally to produce a 10 point action plan to increase the size of the general practice workforce, which this Government has supported with £10 million of funding.