Weekend GPs for everyone within 2 years
EVERY patient should be able to see a GP at evenings and weekends in two years’ time, under the NHS blueprint unveiled today.
At least 50 per cent of patients would have access to out-of-hours’ appointments by 2018, rising to 100 per cent by 2019.
These slots will not necessarily be at their own surgery but at one nearby – which is part of the same local ‘federation’.
Patients will be able to book the appointments online or by ringing receptionists at their own surgery, who can organise the slots.
The ambitious plans are aimed at driving down waiting times and preventing patients going to A&E in frustration.
But doubts have been raised over whether the changes will happen as the NHS currently does not have nearly enough GPs to provide the appointments.
Yesterday, figures showed that 150 GPs are quitting or retiring each month – without being replaced by younger trainees.
The NHS lost 445 full-time GPs between September and December 2016 – down to 34,050 – when it has promised to hire 5,000 more.
But Simon Stevens, head of the NHS, said he was confident of hiring more GPs and of preventing existing ones from leaving. To help get round the problem, he is encouraging surgeries to recruit extra nurses and pharmacists to treat patients instead of doctors.
Although this might prove controversial for some patients, many do not need to see a GP, particularly if they only want a repeat prescription.
Mr Stevens said: ‘We’ve got to make sure for evenings and weekends there are bookable appointments on a duty-based chemist or hub-based system.
‘We do want it to be easier to see a GP and that’s why we are wanting to increase the number of GPs. But not just GPs – also the number of practice nurses and mental health therapists, clinical pharmacists who are in your local doctors’ surgery. We know this is really important.
‘There are more than 300 million visits a year to see GPs – they really are the bedrock of the NHS.’
Arvind Madan, NHS England’s director of primary care, said: ‘If we look back to where general practice was a year ago, I think we have made significant progress but the journey is far from over.
‘The measures we are setting out today will continue to build momentum behind the wider transformation of primary care and help us deliver the high-quality, flexible health service that is needed in the face of ever-rising patient demand.’
NHS England has also promised to clamp down on the thousands of GP surgeries who close early in the afternoon or for several hours over lunch.
A scathing report by MPs last month found a fifth of the 7,500 practices were shutting during the middle of the day, forcing patients to go to A&E.
Under new rules, surgeries that close early but still claim extra cash for re- opening in the evening will have this money withheld.
But figures from NHS Digital yesterday showed there were just 34,050 full-time GPs in December 2016 – down from 34,495 in September 2016.
Just two years ago the Government promised to hire an extra 5,000 doctors by 2020 to drive down waiting times and provide appointments out of hours.
They rolled out a series of drastic measures to boost GP numbers including offering £20,000 golden hellos and promising to slash their paperwork.
But doctors’ leaders say the Government is still not doing enough to reduce GPs’ workload and improve their morale.