Sir Ara Darzi, the Junior Health Minister, is set to meet private firms including Boots and the Virgin Group with a view to providing out of hours health services.
Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, said yesterday that the NHS should do “far more to ensure people have a choice in primary care as well as in acute hospital services."
A recent survey of 1,000 adults by the Confederation of British Industry has shown that one third of people booking an appointment with their GP found it difficult to find a convenient time.
Health Centres
This has led to the proposed plans, which could see private ‘health centres’ running alongside the traditional GPs surgery.
An advantage for these private firms is that they would not be covered by the GPs’ contract; a controversial agreement allows them to opt out of providing care outside standard office hours.
John Cridland, the CBI’s deputy director-general, said:
“Official figures show 10 million adults in England alone cannot book more than 48 hours in advance. It is time there was real and fundamental reform with the needs of the patient coming first.”
However the plans have met with some opposition. The British Medical Association has accused the CBI of “denigrating” general practice.
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