GPs must keep log of when they’re available out-of-hours

GPs will be forced to keep a register of weekend and evening appointments under plans to improve out-of-hours care.

surgeries which only open for limited hours during the week will come under pressure to offer more slots.

and family doctors will have to record how often they hire expensive locums to work in their place in a bid to reduce excessive costs.

GPs will also get a 1 per cent pay rise, in line with other nHs staff, taking average pay to just over £100,000 a year.

the plans are set out in next year’s contract for GPs and promise surgeries an extra £220million for 2016/17 to improve care. the British Medical association

‘The brink of collapse’

described it as ‘only the warm-up act’ and said far more money would be needed.

surgeries are in crisis and are facing an exodus of retiring GPs on top of increasing demand from the rising, ageing population. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt is due to announce a ‘rescue package’ to help ease pressures within weeks. this is expected to include even more funding as well as measures to recruit more GPs to understaffed surgeries.

simon stevens, chief executive of nHs England, said: ‘the welcome agreement between nHs England and the BMa provides GPs with some stability and support, and shows what can be achieved through sensible and constructive negotiation. However this contract is only one small element of a far wider package we’re jointly developing to help practices with workload, workforce and care redesign.’

Dr Chaand nagpaul, chairman of the BMa’s GP committee, said the minor ‘tweaks’ to the contract would not ‘resuscitate general practice from the brink of collapse’.

the Government is planning to massively increase the number of surgeries offering evening and weekend appointments. But senior GPs say they are struggling as it is to stay open Monday to Friday. Rising numbers of older doctors are retiring early because they have had enough of the workload and bureaucracy.