YP Comment: GP access is key to NHS survival

THOSE meddling health professionals who believe that GPs should be based in A&E departments to ease the pressure on hospitals clearly do not understand '“ or appreciate '“ the law of unintended consequences.

If this happens, the likelihood is more people will seek treatment at their local hospital at a time when doctors and nurses only want patients to turn up as a last resort because demand for beds remains unprecedented due to an ageing population.

Furthermore this ill-conceived remedy will mean even less family doctors on duty at health centres where residents have a right to expect appointments between 8am and 8pm on weekdays as well as a more robust out-of-hours service.

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The sooner that NHS chiefs realise the fundamental flaws with the GP service, whether it be a shortage of doctors at some practices or some medical professionals being inflexible over their working hours, the quicker that new policy cures can be prescribed.

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