This week Dr Maureen Baker (the new head of the Royal College of GPs) announced it’s going to cost the NHS £1billion to make GP practices operate longer opening hours, over seven days.
Well let’s find that billion then Mo-Bo!
If you’ve ever tried to call a doctors surgery first thing in the morning, I’m sure you’ll have joined me in complete despair at the endless engaged tone, only to be answered 40 minutes later and told all the appointments have gone:
“The earliest I can fit you in is three weeks on Tuesday at 11am!”
Excellent!
When I needed a tetanus jab at the weekend, I did everything I could to avoid having to go to A&E.
But, with the absence of a GP surgery, I was forced (by the lovely folks at NHS Direct) to go and sit for an hour and a half, and take up time that I’m sure was needed elsewhere.
Had my GP surgery been open, I would have been able to pop in and see the local nurse, along with probably 70% of the people in the waiting room on Sunday.
The knowledge that GPs are available every day would hopefully also prevent the ‘panic’ appointments that are booked on a Friday ‘just in case’ their arm falls off over the weekend.
Don’t even get me started on the pensioners who book appointments at the times when working people need to get in to see a doctor! They’re an entirely different problem and I want to end on a happy note.
I love the NHS, it’s an institution our country should be proud of and this is just a logistical change that could make a huge difference. We don’t always agree, but I’m with you on this one Mr Cameron!
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