Market Drayton doctor in warning over seven-day GP cover
A doctor has warned extending GP surgery opening to seven days a week could have a knock-on effect on other health services.
David Cameron has announced that GPs in England are to be offered a voluntary contract to provide seven-day-a-week cover for patients.
Seven-day hospital services will also be extended to "half the country" by 2018 and the whole of England by 2020.
Dr Rob Richards, of Market Drayton Medical Practice, said many GPs are members of Shropdoc, the out-of-hours service, and it could make the service vulnerable if doctors have to work in their surgeries instead of manning the service.
He said: "Across Shropshire extended hours may well be organised by the GP Federation of which we are members or by Shropdoc which provides an exemplary out-of-hours service. In Market Drayton we are waiting to hear from our colleagues before making any decisions. I already work a Saturday afternoon and Friday evening for Shropdoc so would not be able to continue with that if having to see my own patients at the weekend which would then make Shropdoc vulnerable as most GPs there would be in a similar situation."
Trials of seven-day GP access have already begun, with 18 million patients getting extended availability by March. The Royal College of General Practitioners warned seven-day opening in England is unachievable.
Dr Maureen Baker, RCGP chair, said: "
As we said at the RCGP conference, the Government is living in cloud cuckoo land if it thinks that we can deliver a seven-day service against a backdrop of the current GP shortages and the lowest-ever share of the NHS budget for general practice.
"We have since learned that the new contract will be voluntary, and we understand there are to be future announcements on resources, but at this stage we question whether enough will be done to support general practice across England."
