6 November 2015

RCGP Response to BJGP Paper on Seven Day Working

The Royal College of GPs has responded to a paper published in the British Journal of General Practice showing a lack of demand for routine weekend opening of GP practices.

Dr Maureen Baker, Chair of the RCGP, said: “This adds even more weight to the argument against routine Sunday opening for GP practices. Not only will it be of little benefit to our patients - but they themselves do not want it.

“Our patients have better things to do on a Sunday afternoon than have their ears syringed.

“We hope this research - hot on the heels of the independent evaluation of the first wave of the GP Access fund, which found similar results - will quell the Government’s obsession with seven day working once and for all.

“Opening our surgeries seven days a week is simply not the best use of scant NHS resources.

“We urge the Government to invest in general practice, including thousands more GPs, so that we can focus on what is most important to patients –  a robust routine five day service and existing GP out of hours services, that are integrated and fit to deliver the care they need and deserve.”

Further Information

RCGP Press office: 020 3188 7574/7575/7633
Out of hours: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 50,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.