Campaigns led by GPs and health service leaders against cuts in funding appear to have paid off, with NHS England’s London region announcing last week that a small number of practices will receive ‘additional financial support’ for two years’ equivalent to their calculation of the funding they would have received prior to the recent General Medical Services (GMS) funding changes.

The NHS England London area team announced that it was going to delay the withdrawal of Minimum Practice Income Guarantee (MPIG) for two years for the worst hit practices in the capital, following a campaign by practices in East London.

Meanwhile, NHS England confirmed that this offer will be made by all local area teams to the practices identified as standing to lose the most if the plans to remove the whole of the funding over seven years, introduced as part of the contract imposition in 2013/14, were to go ahead.

NHS England (London)’s statement said that it understands the pressures general practices face in a growing and changing capital, so has committed to providing extra financial support in 2014/15 and 2015/16 to a small number of GP practices in London that serve patients in more deprived areas and which are significantly affected by recent changes to the GP funding system.

The statement went on to say that, at the same time, the London area team will be working with leading GPs on a major programme to transform primary care services to better meet the needs of 21st century London.

However, apart from the East End, vulnerable practices have been identified in Cumbria, parts of Bristol and West Yorkshire but it is not yet clear whether there will be a reprieve in these areas.