Out-of-hours NHS experienced “shortcomings”

Medical care outside normal working hours suffered from “shortcomings” during a recent shake-up of the service.

A report from the National Audit Office (NAO) published today shows how after a new system of out-of-hours arrangements was introduced in 2004-5, primary care trust (PCT) staff assuming duties previously undertaken by GPs “lacked knowledge and expertise”.

The report concluded that costs were 22 per cent higher than anticipated following the transition, adding that they could be reduced by up to 134 million pounds in future.

Despite these problems, the NAO’s head, Sir John Bourn, said that PCTs were “back on track” towards providing high quality care.

“I am glad to see signs that primary care trusts are getting better at managing their providers,” he said.

“However, it is disappointing that there were so many problems in starting the new arrangements and I am concerned that so few providers are meeting their targets for the time it takes respond to patients.”

He also singled out the “continuing confusion” concerning whether out-of-hours arrangements were supposed to exist as an emergency or a background service.

Health minister Lord Warner responded to the NAO report by emphasising the government’s commitment to improving the service offered by the NHS.

“We are now taking vigorous action in partnership with the NAO to ensure all parts of the NHS reach the standards of the best, both in terms of the quality of patient care and the value for money their services deliver,” he said.

Changes to the way the NHS runs its out-of-hours service occurred following the Carson Review of 2004, which recommended a rapid overhaul of existing provisions.

© Adfero Ltd