Welcome to the Dispensing Doctors’ Association’s Rural Practice Manifesto for the 2019 General Election.
As the election campaign begins in earnest, the NHS will run Brexit a close second as a key area over which the political parties are best-placed to preside.
The DDA invites election candidates to work with the DDA to answer the following calls to action:
- Involve the DDA in the second phase of the consultation on drug reimbursement, so that dispensing practices and their patients are not disadvantaged when the changes are implemented
- ‘Rural proof’ Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and support the call for an updated rural NHS funding formula that recognises the increased costs of delivering a robust and resilient health service in rural areas
- Protect the unique rural GP one-stop-shop service that improves people’s access to scarce healthcare resource
- Recognise that rural medical practices are the hub of their local communities, offering traditional family doctor GP services, creating skilled jobs for local people, and reducing social isolation
- Lobby for urgent improvements to the rural infrastructure, particularly, public transport and broadband
- Recognise that dispensing income is vital for the sustainability of high quality rural general practices
The DDA has produced a range of resources for GPs to use in local lobbying ahead of the election. These include a press release and a letter to be sent to local newspapers, template GP practice website copy, a practice letter for election candidates and a patient letter for election candidates. Download your resources below:
Practice website article template
DDA Parliamentary Briefing Papers
The DDA also publishes parliamentary briefing papers for politicians based in England, Wales and Scotland.
Please click on the relevant links to access the DDA’s parliamentary briefing papers for viewing on the web (low res version) and for downloading for local lobbying purposes (hi resolution version)
England
January 2020: low res version
June 2017: low res version
Feb 2017: hi res version; low res version
May 2016: hi res version; low res version
September 2015: hi res version; low res version
May 2015: hi res version; low res version
February 2015: hi res version; low res version
October 2014: low res version
June 2014: hi res version; low res version
Jan 2014: hi res version; low res version
Scotland
February 2020: low res version
June 2017: low res version
August 2016: hi res version; low res version
April 2016: hi res version; low res version
May 2015: hi res version; low res version
February 2015: low res version
November 2014: hi res version; low res version
June 2014: hi res version; low res version
Jan 2014: hi res version; low res version
Wales
June 2017: low res version
July 2016: Hi res version; low res version
March 2016: hi res version; low res version
May 2015: hi res version; low res version
March 2015: hi res version; low res version
December 2014: hi res version; low res version
March 2014: hi res version; low res version