Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review Shared Care arrangements to ensure they are delivering effective outcomes for patients.

There are currently no plans to review shared care agreements.

General practices (GPs) are independent contractors that provide National Health Services. Shared care agreements between a GP and a specialist are voluntary and are not part of the GP Contract. The General Medical Council is clear that a GP cannot be mandated to enter into a shared care agreement, and there is guidance in place to help GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities.

On initiating a treatment, the specialist clinician must follow General Medical Council guidance, that if continuation of the treatment is dependent on shared care, then an agreement with the GP must be in place before the treatment is started.