OUT-OF-HOURS CARE

The crisis facing out-of-hours primary care services is largely down to the health policy pursued by the last Labour government. Whilst it is a bit rich for Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, to accuse the present Government of ‘an epic U-turn’ for announcing a financial package intended to encourage GP surgeries to stay open in the evenings and at weekends – in reversing the mess the Government inherited from Labour – Mr Burnham has a case if we put hypocrisy aside. As the implications of the new contract began to take hold, the last government offered something very similar to what is being offered to GPs now – but funding was withdrawn by the Coalition when they came to office on the basis that there was no demand for the services. Now, though, an additional £50 million is being earmarked for doctors’ surgeries that want to remain open during unsociable hours or those GPs that wish to embrace new, hi-tech consultation methods.

Surely, the time has come to repair the huge damage caused by Labour’s poorly-judged contract with GPs in 2004. The contract removed responsibility for out-of-hours care from GPs, the majority of who opted out of providing it. The consequences are well-documented: demand has been pushed on to hospital A&E services with the resultant pressures making many A&E units unable to cope with a winter crisis. Worse still, has been the non-emergency telephone advice service which has been found seriously wanting with patients left frustrated in their efforts to make appointments at times convenient to them rather than to the practitioners.

The current Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, says he wants GPs to ‘rediscover family doctoring’, an ambition no-doubt that will be shared by most people. Innovative ideas such as wider use of email and Skype are good ones that could help to restore an element of personal contact with surgeries when people need it most.

Who would doubt that it is in the interests of GPs that they play their part in bringing about a more modern, proactive and flexible service for their patients?