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Senior NHS figure challenges Jeremy Hunt over causes of A&E crisis Senior NHS figure challenges Jeremy Hunt over causes of A&E crisis
(4 months later)
There is no link between the crisis in hospital A&E departments and GPs opting out of out-of-hours care, a leading NHS figure has said – in a direct challenge to the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt.There is no link between the crisis in hospital A&E departments and GPs opting out of out-of-hours care, a leading NHS figure has said – in a direct challenge to the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt.
Mike Farrar, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, the body representing organisations commissioning and providing health services, questioned Hunt's assertion that Labour was to blame for a public loss of confidence in alternatives to casualty by agreeing a new contract with family doctors in 2004.Mike Farrar, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, the body representing organisations commissioning and providing health services, questioned Hunt's assertion that Labour was to blame for a public loss of confidence in alternatives to casualty by agreeing a new contract with family doctors in 2004.
As the political row deepened over overcrowded A&E departments – one that will get worse as ministers consider a number of closure plans – Farrar said: "We do not see a correlation between the changes to the 2004 GP contract and the NHS 4-hour waiting standard for A&E departments."As the political row deepened over overcrowded A&E departments – one that will get worse as ministers consider a number of closure plans – Farrar said: "We do not see a correlation between the changes to the 2004 GP contract and the NHS 4-hour waiting standard for A&E departments."
Hunt has been keen to differentiate between blaming Labour and GPs themselves, but for days he has been citing the GP contract changes as a main cause of the problem. On Tuesday, he told MPs they had had "devastating impact and that pressures on A&E services were "direct consequences of the disastrous changes".Hunt has been keen to differentiate between blaming Labour and GPs themselves, but for days he has been citing the GP contract changes as a main cause of the problem. On Tuesday, he told MPs they had had "devastating impact and that pressures on A&E services were "direct consequences of the disastrous changes".
The minister also said that last year's GP patients' survey showed "only 58% of patients know how to contact their local out-of-hours service, and said that 20% of patients find it difficult to contact their out-of-hours service, that 37% of patients feel that the service is too slow - problems that we are trying to address."The minister also said that last year's GP patients' survey showed "only 58% of patients know how to contact their local out-of-hours service, and said that 20% of patients find it difficult to contact their out-of-hours service, that 37% of patients feel that the service is too slow - problems that we are trying to address."
But Farrar said: "In fact, for the vast majority of the last decade, A&E waiting time standards have been improving. It is in recent years where the pressures have started to bite, and there have not been any discernible structural changes to out-of-hours GP contracts during that time.But Farrar said: "In fact, for the vast majority of the last decade, A&E waiting time standards have been improving. It is in recent years where the pressures have started to bite, and there have not been any discernible structural changes to out-of-hours GP contracts during that time.
"It is clearly evident that there are rising pressures on the whole system. We agree there is a need to improve the co-ordination of out-of-hours care, and see how it can help take the pressures off A&E," said Farrar."It is clearly evident that there are rising pressures on the whole system. We agree there is a need to improve the co-ordination of out-of-hours care, and see how it can help take the pressures off A&E," said Farrar.
"We believe real and lasting improvements to out-of-hours care are possible, but only if we put a greater level of investment in to primary, community and social care.""We believe real and lasting improvements to out-of-hours care are possible, but only if we put a greater level of investment in to primary, community and social care."
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