NHS weekend: 7-day GP opening 'unachievable'

Hello again Suncatcher2015, I have read about these longer working hours including weekends.

I todays Daily Mirror there is a report of the scheme failing in some of the trial areas, they say it is not working, and are cutting back on the hours or giving up completely.  What seems to be the problem with the plan?

I wonder why the patients did not take it up more?  The funding is due to finish very soon, maybe next month??

So now will it come to other areas, where there is a need due to working hours, then there would need to be a pharmacy open all the extra hours including weekends, or has ASDA got that covered???

Well for now ttfn from Karen.

Hi @Karen56 

According to the Daily Mail, of 18 pilot schemes, eight have now either cut weekend or evening hours, or stopped providing the service altogether, research by the GP magazine Pulse found.

I wonder just how news that the pilot scheme was operating in their surgery was made to patients - were patients fully aware of the extended times?  If not, this could be the reason it was not a huge success.

I know from news reports, many GP's were against it, so maybe they wee not keen to encourage its use?  Or maybe there is not a long wait for an appointment at the pilot surgeries.  I know at my husband's surgery, there are no available appointments on the on-line booking system for at least a week, so longer opening times or weekends would be quickly taken up.

I will keep an eye out for more news.

Hello Suncatcher2015, there is the some sort of problem where I go, the appointments can be very difficult to get, especially for the afternoon slots which I prefer, due to being slow and not liking driving when I first get up.

There is still a program of get up and phone up from 8am, till you get through and then take what ever time you are given, which as a T2  diabetic and with my blood pressure going up at times I can be dizzy in the mornings, too much stress. 

I have fought at battle to get more open appointments for the afternoons and advanced into the week and even beyond.  would be interesting to see if it gets to where I go and what happens! ttfn from Karen

Yes @Karen56 , that is what happens at my husband's surgery - drag yourself up by 7 a.m. to be awake and free of brain fog enough to start ringing the surgery, redialling over and over until you get through and then take the available appointment.  They have a computer system for booking online, but time and again, there are no appointments showing to book, or only ones two weeks away. 

Hello Suncatcher2015, yes just like mine.