Er, how come we're doing out of hours again?
Copperfield
‘I’ve just read the draft service specification for the new extended access service that CCGs will be commissioning from April 2018’ is probably the dullest opening to a blog you’ll ever read. But it gets better. Or worse, depending on how you look at it.
This, remember, is the enhanced service designed to have an all-singing, all-dancing general practice though late evenings, Saturdays and Sundays. Lack of space and editorial restrictions on expletives prevent me from articulating in full why this concept is a crockful of crap. Besides, you know this already.
But I would point out that, while the surrounding blurb insist that this is to be viewed as an additional service bolstering routine provision, ie, one which does not require patients to re-present during core GMS hours, the imperative to provide the service in large networks will, of course, achieve the exact opposite.
I’ll feel like an Extended Access Locum, because that’s what I’ll be, and therefore I’ll exert my locum’s rights to: insist on one problem per appointment, avoid ‘sorting patients out’, ignore QOF, refer indiscriminately or not at all and say, ‘You’ll have to see your usual doctor about that’ at roughly ten minute intervals.
The thing I really want to highlight, though, is a rather chilling clause tucked away mid-spec, which states that ‘Hub hours’ can be subject to change in view of patient demand, activity and A&E usage. You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to see the direction of travel here. In the immediate term it’ll mean being the CCG’s go-to for extra sessions whenever the hospital’s on red alert, that is to say, all the time.
And in the long run? There will come a time when we’ve become reliant on the income extended access provides and we’ve had various iterations of the spec moving though, say, provision of urgent appointments, expanding hours and home visits. We will surface from a weekend nightmare session, exhausted, rub our bleary eyes and exclaim, oh, look, we appear to be doing out-of-hours again!
Who saw that coming? Us, hopefully.
Dr Tony Copperfield is a jobbing GP in Essex
Related images
Readers' comments (10)
Devil's Advocate | GP Partner/Principal14 Sep 2017 3:31pm
do you have a link?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Cobblers | Locum GP | Kent14 Sep 2017 5:06pm
R L E
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Turn out the lights | GP Partner/Principal14 Sep 2017 8:44pm
Oh no I will definitely not be doing this ever again.I would quit asap.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Angus Podgorny | GP Partner/Principal15 Sep 2017 8:00am
Its almost like we're dealing with complete and utter slimeballs. That couldn't be the case, could it?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
GP with no union | GP Partner/Principal15 Sep 2017 9:28am
Exactly right.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Cavalierkitty | Salaried GP15 Sep 2017 11:33am
Reinventing the wheel.... The new name fir the nhs
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Rogue1 | GP Partner/Principal15 Sep 2017 3:26pm
If we start doing sessions out of hours (when the NHS isn't working and is inefficient), we will have to do fewer in hours sessions (when the NHS is open for business and more efficient). Its a no brainer, times to see GPs will get longer, there will be more referrals, so waiting lists will go up. Its more of the downward spiral.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
luke | GP15 Sep 2017 9:25pm
I see we all resign en masse, before the crazy personality disordered patients destroy us first or the government stamps that great big giant foot if theirs all over us like ants!! Both have been occurring for a few years now in case you hadn't noticed, in particular those that are gutless and obedient to the point of foolishness, of which there are many unfortunately holding the rest of us back!!!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
The cavalry isn't coming | Hospital Doctor18 Sep 2017 11:23pm
My dad called up the GP practice after today receiving g a letter from them asking him to come in for his flu jab. The next available appointment to see the nurse for it was November 4th when he is away. He couldn't book beyond that as their appointment slots weren't open. He was told to ring again in 2 weeks time.
The system is BROKEN
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Truth finder | GP Partner/Principal20 Sep 2017 11:33am
Well said. Do not forget your MDU fee increase and your tax! Working times subject to change, a one sided contract. Sounds a bit like slavery to me, working more for free effectively. Earning less per hour so effectively doing more for less. We should all resign en mass and go private.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment