The purpose of the RCGP ambassador – Forward View role, is not to ‘promote’ NHS England’s GP Forward View, as reported in Pulse last week. It is to ensure that the 108 proposals outlined in the document are implemented in an effective way, in the best interests of general practice and patient care, by influencing decision-makers at a regional level.
The team of 22 ambassadors will aim to maximise investment in general practice at the local level, track developments, help the college monitor progress overall and of course, make sure that GPs have a very strong voice in the GP Forward View across England. Having evidence of developments at a local level will give the college an authoritative voice with which to comment on progress overall of the Forward View.
The college supports the vision set out in the GP Forward View on the basis that we believe it represents a viable package of investment and support in line with what we called for in our Put patients first: Back general practice campaign. But there is still a great deal of detail to be decided in terms of how the GPFV will be implemented, particularly at a local level, and we believe there must be a strong local voice for general practice in these discussions.
Our priority is now to ensure the effective implementation of the GP Forward View for a robust general practice in the future and hold NHS England to account through our role on a newly-created Advisory Oversight Group and by publishing an annual assessment of progress against the ambitious plans. The role of the RCGP ambassadors will be essential in informing this.
