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GP opening hours
littlerock
Posts: 1,774 Forumite
There is a notice on my GP practice door saying "from 1st April 2019 due to changes to contract, extended opening hours will end. Sorry for any inconvenience". It was only one weekday evening a week and only for an hour and a half but still..... Anyone know what this is about?
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Comments
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Maybe they're setting up as a hub with other surgeries and offering extended hours appointments elsewhere. My practice has done that, the evening and Saturday appointments are offered at a surgery 9 miles away.
My GP practice's only extended hours offering is Tuesday and Thursday mornings they start at 7.30 instead of 8 am. Other than that, appointments are 8 am - 6 pm but they're closed Thursday afternoon.0 -
Probably the huge recruitment problem for GPs at the moment coupled with the fact that 'extended hours' appointments, despite sounding like a great idea, are generally poorly attended.How to find a dentist.
1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.0 -
My surgery has no late evenings and no weekend appointment and never has had.
My last surgery started early morning appointments. People didn't turn for them so they stopped doing it.0 -
Well currently they have one not very long extended evening a week (no weekends) and now that is stopping. I was just interested in why it said it was discontinuing "due to a change in contracts". I assume this is some agreement GPs sign to contract for a certain number of hours and wondered if anyone knew how it worked.0
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It really could be anything.
The NHS contract with the practice, the Drs contract with the surgery, the surgery contract with the Drs. It could be the recent tax changes that penalise the (automatic) pension contributions of the Drs to their pension (Which is making the news today) if they do extra hours, or even work very much beyond mid-50s - which is part of the recruitment problem with loads of Drs taking early retirement.
It could also be that the proper reason is so tortuous that 'contract changes is just the easiest way to sum it up in a couple of words.How to find a dentist.
1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.0 -
First article on Jeremy Vine show today is about some of the problems. (Friday, 12:00 Radio 2 - catch it later on iPlayer Radio or BBC Sounds app)How to find a dentist.
1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.0
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