New research has found that GPs are finding it increasingly difficult to make funding meet demands, leaving them ‘overstretched and underfunded’ but it also highlights that general practice is offering excellent value to the NHS, costing only £136 per patient.

A new report from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) shows that these payments to GP practices fund unlimited access to GP appointments, which average more than six visits per year, as well as home visits, care for housebound and vulnerable patients, cervical screening, chronic disease management and immunisation programmes.

It also shows that during the 2013-14 tax year, £608m was paid for premises, which amounted to eight per cent of the whole. Some £982m, or 12.9 per cent, was for the Quality and Outcomes Framework (FOF) and £620m (8.1 per cent) was for enhanced services, such as childhood vaccination and immunisation schemes, extended hours access and improving patient online access.

During the period, more than £7.6bn was paid to 8,060 practices and covered a range of costs, such as premises, staffing and services to patients. Just over £3.9bn was paid to 4,478 providers with a General Medical Services (GMS) contract, while more than £3.6bn was paid to 3,499 providers with a Private Medical Services (PMS) contract.

In addition, £1.65bn was paid to 1,143 practices with dispensing facilities and almost £6bn was paid to 6,917 providers for non-dispensing practices. According to the report, the average sum of NHS payments to a provider was almost £947,000 compared to a median sum of £827,000 the year before.

Commenting on the report, a spokesman for the British Medical Association (BMA) said that it is evident that GP practices are offering incredible value for money at only £136 per patient but stressed that they must get the resources they need to deliver enough appointments and services to their communities.