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09/10/2003
Reid calls for 'greater convenience' in seeing GPs
Health Secretary John Reid has today repeated his commitment to "ensuring greater convenience" for patients in booking an appointment with their GP.
Speaking to the NHS Alliance in his first primary care speech Mr Reid told delegates that patients now have better access to a GP than ever before but can often feel that this is not the case.
Mr Reid said: "Some patients don't believe its getting easier to see their GP. If practices prevent patients from pre-booking appointments, they are not delivering the patient centred-service NHS patients are entitled to expect and demand.
"Yet most GPs are able to offer appointments within 48 hours and operate a pre-booked appointment system.
"Let me be clear. I want patients to be able to pre-book appointments if it suits them. I also want everyone to be able to see a GP within 48 hours if they want to. One does not exclude the other. We have never, are not and will not order doctors to stop giving patients pre-booked appointments."
Mr Reid said that nine-out-of-10 people can now see a GP within two days if they want to and work is on-going to ensure that all patients can book appointments convenient to them.
The government claims that since September 1999, the number of GPs in the NHS rose by 1,535, GP registrar numbers also enjoyed a 42% increase over the same period.
(gmcg)
Speaking to the NHS Alliance in his first primary care speech Mr Reid told delegates that patients now have better access to a GP than ever before but can often feel that this is not the case.
Mr Reid said: "Some patients don't believe its getting easier to see their GP. If practices prevent patients from pre-booking appointments, they are not delivering the patient centred-service NHS patients are entitled to expect and demand.
"Yet most GPs are able to offer appointments within 48 hours and operate a pre-booked appointment system.
"Let me be clear. I want patients to be able to pre-book appointments if it suits them. I also want everyone to be able to see a GP within 48 hours if they want to. One does not exclude the other. We have never, are not and will not order doctors to stop giving patients pre-booked appointments."
Mr Reid said that nine-out-of-10 people can now see a GP within two days if they want to and work is on-going to ensure that all patients can book appointments convenient to them.
The government claims that since September 1999, the number of GPs in the NHS rose by 1,535, GP registrar numbers also enjoyed a 42% increase over the same period.
(gmcg)
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