This site is intended for health professionals only


3. Dr Richard Vautrey

The BMA GP Committee leader has had a busy year. In January, Dr Richard Vautrey negotiated £2.8bn of funding for general practice as part of the new five-year GP contract deal in England.

The standout reform was removing the burden of indemnity for all NHS GPs – meaning that, as of April, GPs have not had to pay fees to their medical defence organisations for NHS work.

In addition, the global sum increased – though not by as much as GPs had hoped, considering the services that are being delivered with it – while extra cash was on offer for practices joining new primary care networks. There was also a commitment for 22,000 new non-GP staff.

The ‘biggest contract since 2014’, he says, provides recurrent funding to expand the workforce and help reduce GP workload. It will also improve the quality of patient care, reconnect with the wider primary care team through primary care networks while retaining and building on the independent contractor status.

The contract work is far from over. Ongoing BMA work includes a review of vaccinations and immunisations, changes to general practice access – being led by NHS England – and revised QOF requirements.

As networks continue to dominate primary care reorganisation, and the indemnity scheme swings into action, Dr Vautrey will be set to steer the profession through any choppy waters along the way.

Why influential: Put a stop to yearly GP contract changes by securing a multi-year deal

What others say: ‘Hardworking’

Random fact: Claims that Pulse already knows all his surprises!