The suggestion that LES payments should be cut if attendance at GP extended hours surgeries fails to reach a certain threshold is as useless as it is stupid. (GPs face pay cut as patients shun extended hours)
It will only antagonise GPs more. The initial suggestion for out-of-hours surgeries was at the behest of a government that felt there was a political point to be made to win votes.
Those practices that tried and managed to open extra surgeries – even after identifying minimal demand – are now to be chastised by financial loss.
Enough is enough – there has to be a reason to go to the barricades and perhaps the GPC will take notice of this.
From Dr Malcolm Freeth
Eastbourne, East Sussex
