A £2.4MILLION investment in GPs practices has been welcomed by Essex County Council.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the investment would be made by 2020/21.

The plan is designed to get the general practice back on its feet, improve patient care and access and invest in new ways of providing primary care. There will also be specific steps to strengthen the workforce, modernise infrastructure and technology, and redesign the way modern primary care is offered to patients.

Essex is currently seeing a decline in the number of GPs while the population continues to grow.

The ratio of GPs to patients in Essex is around 1,900 patients to every GP, compared to the national ratio of 1,700 patients to every GP.

Graham Butland, the council’s Cabinet member for health, welcomed the announcement and said: “By 2021, under current forecasts, Essex could see 2,100 patients to every GP, so it is important we see a fair share of the 5,000 new GPs outlined in the plan.

“There has been an historic underfunding of general practice and the pressures GPs are facing continue to grow.

“This plan will support struggling practices and the GP workforce, acting as a significant step forward for general practice, as well as keeping our health service sustainable and our patients safe.

“Essex County Council’s current work with partners to integrate health and social care will also feed into these priorities.

“We are committed to GPs and social care working more closely together to reduce pressures across the health and care system.”