This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38620935
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| GPs urged to commit to seven-day service or lose funding | GPs urged to commit to seven-day service or lose funding |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Some GPs in England have been warned they could lose extra funding if they fail to meet their commitments to keeping surgeries open for longer. | Some GPs in England have been warned they could lose extra funding if they fail to meet their commitments to keeping surgeries open for longer. |
| The government wants surgeries to open between 08:00 and 20:00, seven days a week, unless they can prove the demand is not there. | The government wants surgeries to open between 08:00 and 20:00, seven days a week, unless they can prove the demand is not there. |
| It said many patients were going to under-pressure A&E departments because they could not get GP appointments. | It said many patients were going to under-pressure A&E departments because they could not get GP appointments. |
| The British Medical Association accused ministers of "scapegoating" doctors. | The British Medical Association accused ministers of "scapegoating" doctors. |
| Surgeries are currently expected to open between the core hours of 08:00 and 18:30, Monday to Friday. | Surgeries are currently expected to open between the core hours of 08:00 and 18:30, Monday to Friday. |
| Extra funding is available to those offering appointments outside those hours. | Extra funding is available to those offering appointments outside those hours. |
| Downing Street said surgeries should do more to ensure they offered appointments in the evening and at weekends. | Downing Street said surgeries should do more to ensure they offered appointments in the evening and at weekends. |
| 'Bad for hospitals' | 'Bad for hospitals' |
| It said: "Most GPs do a fantastic job, and have their patients' interests firmly at heart. | It said: "Most GPs do a fantastic job, and have their patients' interests firmly at heart. |
| "However, it is increasingly clear that a large number of surgeries are not providing the access that patients need - and that patients are suffering as a result because they are then forced to go to A&E to seek care. | "However, it is increasingly clear that a large number of surgeries are not providing the access that patients need - and that patients are suffering as a result because they are then forced to go to A&E to seek care. |
| "It's also bad for hospitals, who then face additional pressure on their services." | "It's also bad for hospitals, who then face additional pressure on their services." |
| Why bother with seven-day GP opening? | Why bother with seven-day GP opening? |
| Patient films A&E corridor bed 'chaos' | Patient films A&E corridor bed 'chaos' |
| Leak shows full extent of NHS crisis | Leak shows full extent of NHS crisis |
| The government highlighted October 2015 figures from the National Audit Office (NAO), which showed that 46% of GP surgeries closed at some point during core hours, and 18% closed at or before 15:00 on at least one weekday. | The government highlighted October 2015 figures from the National Audit Office (NAO), which showed that 46% of GP surgeries closed at some point during core hours, and 18% closed at or before 15:00 on at least one weekday. |
| Three-quarters of those that closed early were receiving extra funding in 2015-16 to provide access outside of core hours, the NAO said. | Three-quarters of those that closed early were receiving extra funding in 2015-16 to provide access outside of core hours, the NAO said. |
| Number 10 also said ministers had been shown evidence that some GP surgeries were failing to tell patients about extending hours for appointments or ensuring they were at convenient times. | Number 10 also said ministers had been shown evidence that some GP surgeries were failing to tell patients about extending hours for appointments or ensuring they were at convenient times. |
| It said patients not seen outside working hours were "left with little option" but to go to A&E. | It said patients not seen outside working hours were "left with little option" but to go to A&E. |
| It comes as figures show more than four in 10 hospitals in England declared a major alert in the first week of the new year as they faced unprecedented pressures. | It comes as figures show more than four in 10 hospitals in England declared a major alert in the first week of the new year as they faced unprecedented pressures. |
| The director of acute care for NHS England, Professor Keith Willett, has estimated that 30% of patients attending A&E would be better cared for elsewhere in the system, the government said. | The director of acute care for NHS England, Professor Keith Willett, has estimated that 30% of patients attending A&E would be better cared for elsewhere in the system, the government said. |
| Downing Street said the prime minister wanted to help reduce pressures on hospitals in a number of ways: | Downing Street said the prime minister wanted to help reduce pressures on hospitals in a number of ways: |
| 'Close to the precipice' | 'Close to the precipice' |
| The British Medical Association (BMA) accused ministers of trying to "deflect blame" on to doctors rather than address the NHS funding crisis. | The British Medical Association (BMA) accused ministers of trying to "deflect blame" on to doctors rather than address the NHS funding crisis. |
| GP committee chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said pressure on A&E services was down to seriously ill patients for whom seeing a GP would not prevent a hospital admission. | GP committee chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said pressure on A&E services was down to seriously ill patients for whom seeing a GP would not prevent a hospital admission. |
| The government must "take responsibility" and outline an emergency plan to tackle NHS under-resourcing, he said. | The government must "take responsibility" and outline an emergency plan to tackle NHS under-resourcing, he said. |
| Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs said the "whole of general practice and primary care" was "close to the precipice" after being "under-funded and under-resourced for a decade". | Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs said the "whole of general practice and primary care" was "close to the precipice" after being "under-funded and under-resourced for a decade". |
| Promises of more staff and resources had yet to reach the front line. She said: "So to put pressure on a system that's already cracking is unhelpful and it's going to demoralise GPs further." | Promises of more staff and resources had yet to reach the front line. She said: "So to put pressure on a system that's already cracking is unhelpful and it's going to demoralise GPs further." |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the prime minister of being in denial about the state of the NHS. | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the prime minister of being in denial about the state of the NHS. |
| In a speech in central London, he said Theresa May was blaming the "crisis" on "hard-pressed and under-pressure GPs", not underfunding by the government. | In a speech in central London, he said Theresa May was blaming the "crisis" on "hard-pressed and under-pressure GPs", not underfunding by the government. |
| Later, shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth told the BBC that the Conservatives had been promising a seven-day GP service for more than six years. | Later, shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth told the BBC that the Conservatives had been promising a seven-day GP service for more than six years. |
| He said Mrs May's response to the "crisis" in the NHS was "increasingly incompetent and floundering", and urged her to "get a grip of the situation". | He said Mrs May's response to the "crisis" in the NHS was "increasingly incompetent and floundering", and urged her to "get a grip of the situation". |
| Hospital hub | Hospital hub |
| Health think tank the Nuffield Trust's chief executive Nigel Edwards said the problem was capacity, not timing. | Health think tank the Nuffield Trust's chief executive Nigel Edwards said the problem was capacity, not timing. |
| "If you haven't got more GPs and more practice nurses to do it, you haven't increased the number of appointments, you've just put additional pressure on a service that's already under a very severe level of pressure," he said. | "If you haven't got more GPs and more practice nurses to do it, you haven't increased the number of appointments, you've just put additional pressure on a service that's already under a very severe level of pressure," he said. |
| The government said ministers believed GP surgeries had a "vital role" to play in alleviating pressure on A&E. | The government said ministers believed GP surgeries had a "vital role" to play in alleviating pressure on A&E. |
| A 14% increase in funding to general practice will ensure there will be about 5,000 more doctors by 2020, it added. | A 14% increase in funding to general practice will ensure there will be about 5,000 more doctors by 2020, it added. |