Government announces expansion of GP sexual health services

The Department of Health (DoH) has announced that five areas in the north-east of England are to receive new GP health services as part of a plan to expand access to healthcare provision in England.

According to the programme, Ashton Leigh and Wigan, Bolton, East Lancashire, Manchester and Trafford are to see the opening of new walk-in sexual health centres and general family practices, with an initial contract period of five years.

This expansion of services is part of the Fairness in Primary Care Procurement initiative which aims to improve access to family doctors and widen GP choice, with patients benefiting from new services and more flexible surgery hours.

Andy Burnham, health minister, said: “GPs are largely providing a good service, but there are still areas where NHS patients cannot rely on traditional practices.

“We want to continue to help the NHS plug these remaining gaps by introducing these new services, reducing the pressure on existing practices and giving patients the choice they deserve.”

He added that these plans represent another stage of the government’s promise as part of its Our Health, Our Care, Our Say white paper to address the inequalities in healthcare provision in England related to the lack of doctors in some areas.

In February 2007, the DoH reported that Ashfield, County Durham, Hartlepool and Great Yarmouth would be the first areas to benefit from government plans to improve access to GP services.