Open all hours
Released 09/07/2008
Extended opening is on the increase, by Mattew Jane
This week saw the DH release figures that show a 40 per cent increase in the number of GPs providing extended hours care compared to last month.
The overall number of practices offering these services is still in the minority, at 28 per cent, but it is an indication that practices are beginning to adopt extended hours.
Despite the overall take up increasing, the question lingers as to whether the services are being provided by choice, or whether practices are being bullied into it.
Recent information suggests that patients will choose a practice that delivers extended hours over a neighbouring practice that doesn't.
So if you haven't yet begun offering the extended hours DES, it is perhaps worth considering whether this is something that needs to be delivered by your practice.
And if arranging the rotas and extra staffing wouldn't justify the returns, are there other ways you could increase or improve access to your surgery? I'll be looking at this issue in a future Practice Business, so do let me know if you have any best practice to share, or questions you'd like us to address.
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