Many more practices are offering extended opening hours, data released today by the Department of Health show.
Statistics for month ending July 2008, published today (13 August 2008), show the number of GP practices within each commissioner area (PCTs and care trusts), and how many of those practices were offering extended opening hours on the census date (21 July 2008).
Key findings include:
- Of 8,284 practices, 3,128 (37.8%) offered extended opening hours on the census date. This compares with 28.1% in June.
- The average percentage of GP practices offering extended hours within each commissioner area was 36.5%. This has changed from 27.2% in June.
- 22 commissioners had no GP practices offering extended opening hours (14.5%). In June there were 40 (26.3%).
- 58 (38.2%) commissioners have achieved the operating framework aim of 50% of their GP practices offering extended opening hours. In June, 35 (23.0%) commissioners had achieved this aim.
What do you think to these results? Would you have expected more or less practices to have offered longer opening hours? Your comments: (Terms and conditions apply)
“Are they doing according to the DH stipulations or according to what their PCT has agreed? In any case, who can believe any statistical data produced by DH. They have probably manipulated the figures to suit the government.” – Allan M Stewart, Wirral
“A little-considered but important factor in all this is the number of practice managers personally involved in delivering extended hours. This is because some GPs will not buy more staff time and/or existing staff refuse to work extended time, and so the problem is dumped on the PM. I’ve seen many instances of this. What will happen next year when a government in pre-election mode forces 8am to 8pm opening universally to court popularity with the electorate?” – Andrew Clark, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
