Tories urge GPs to increase out-of-hours care
The Conservative party has unveiled proposals to hand responsibility for out-of-hours care to GPs.
Plans mooted as party members gather in Blackpool for their annual conference include a renegotiation of GPs’ contract to include a commissioning role rather than a full return to the previous personal obligation of individual doctors.
There is also provision for a single national telephone number for the public to use when in need of non-emergency medical care outside of working hours.
Currently primary care trusts ensure a round-the-clock service is available in a given region but the Conservatives’ policy document accuses them of being “unable financially to commission enhanced access for GPs, including evening and weekend surgeries.”
As a solution it advocates allowing doctors more flexibility and responsibility in how they deal with their patients’ needs.
“GPs, as budget-holders and primary care commissioners, will be in a position to respond to the interests and wishes of their patients,” it claims.
However the plans, outlined in a speech by shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley, have been meet with scepticism by the chairman of the British Medical Association’s GPs committee.
“It is sad that the Conservatives have failed to understand why we needed a new GP contract. All sides recognised that the UK had too few family doctors,” said Dr Laurence Buckman.
“Recruitment was at an-all time low, and doctors were thinking of taking early retirement because of the unsustainable workload.
“The new GP contract is improving health outcomes for patients and in the long term will save the NHS money as fewer people will need admission to hospital because of a long-term condition.”
