NHS: GP Services

Lord Laming Excerpts

Tuesday 21st May 2013 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I think that the GP contract is but one element of a more complicated picture. It is not the only issue or, indeed, is it the only solution. It is true that access to out-of-hours care in some parts of England is simply not good enough. We are not saying that family doctors should necessarily go back to being on call in the evenings and at weekends. They work hard and have families, and they need a life too, but we must take a serious look at how out-of-hours NHS care is provided. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State will be talking to GP leaders about how we can do that over the coming weeks.

[Lord Laming]

My Lords, the noble Earl has indicated that there is a need to look again at the availability of community-based services. Hospital-based services are available seven days a week but community ones for much less, and that includes social care services. While not wanting staff to work all hours, is it not possible to move towards a situation where the services will be available at all hours while we protect staff working time?

[Earl Howe]

The noble Lord, Lord Laming, has summed up the situation extremely well. I am sure he knows that Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS medical director, is currently looking at how NHS services across the piece can be provided seven days a week in a much fuller way than they are at the moment. Access to GPs out of hours is part of that wider consideration and NHS England is working with the royal colleges and professional organisations to develop a set of standards that will apply to seven-day services. Some trusts are already thinking about treating patients at weekends for non-urgent operations and procedures. We want to encourage that trend.