Northerner
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The Conservative chairwoman of the House of Commons health select committee, former GP Dr Sarah Wollaston, has said her party's plans for GP access seven days a week across England will not work.
Speaking exclusively to GP Dr Wollaston, who has led the influential committee since June, said she doubted David Cameron’s promise that every patient would have access to GPs from 8am to 8pm and at weekends was achievable given the current workforce crisis.
The MP for Totnes, Devon, who practised as a GP in Chagford, on Dartmoor, said the plans would be ‘almost impossible to achieve’ in rural areas like hers, even if small practices federate.
The prime minister announced a £100m expansion of the Challenge Fund for GP access during the Conservative party conference in September, and pledged a further £400m to ensure 12-hour, seven-day access to every patient in England by 2020.
http://www.gponline.com/exclusive-t...s-unachievable-says-wollaston/article/1321630
(free registration)
Another poorly-considered 'promise' from the government...🙄
Speaking exclusively to GP Dr Wollaston, who has led the influential committee since June, said she doubted David Cameron’s promise that every patient would have access to GPs from 8am to 8pm and at weekends was achievable given the current workforce crisis.
The MP for Totnes, Devon, who practised as a GP in Chagford, on Dartmoor, said the plans would be ‘almost impossible to achieve’ in rural areas like hers, even if small practices federate.
The prime minister announced a £100m expansion of the Challenge Fund for GP access during the Conservative party conference in September, and pledged a further £400m to ensure 12-hour, seven-day access to every patient in England by 2020.
http://www.gponline.com/exclusive-t...s-unachievable-says-wollaston/article/1321630
(free registration)
Another poorly-considered 'promise' from the government...🙄