Health Minister Ben Bradshaw today underlined the Government’s commitment to investment in family doctor services on a visit to a newly opened GP health centre in Kirkby-in-Ashfield near Nottingham.
Six GP surgeries and 15 GP-led health centres are being procured across the East Midlands as part of the trailblazing work underway to improve access to and choice of GP services, using their share of ï¿¡250 million additional funding. The first of these will be open and seeing patients before the end of the year, offering extended opening hours and a broader range of services, with local GPs showing strong interest in being potential providers, bidding in their existing business model or in collaboration with other providers.
“There has been a lot of irresponsible scare-mongering over recent months that the Government is planning to close local GP surgeries and replace them with larger centralised health centres. The public will still have their local GP practice, but they will also have access to a range of new GP services around the country that are open from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week and can use these new services whilst still being registered with their own practice.
“Patients tell us that access to GP services is a real issue - they want to be able to see GPs at evenings and weekends, or when they are away from home. People want health care that is more personalised and convenient, so primary care services need to adapt to respond to this need.
“And we know that the fewer GPs an area has - the worse the health of the local population is. I’m pleased to come to Nottingham to see examples of innovation and new services being provided here at the Kirkby in-Ashfield Community Primary Care Centre, which are making a real difference to patients.
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