DoH announces plans to boost access to GP services

The Department of Health (DoH) has published plans to resolve the current disparity in access to GP services in England, while pledging that the NHS Next Stage review will result in further improvements in the accessibility and convenience of healthcare services across the country.

Proposals include the establishment of an improvement team headed by David Colin Thome to help primary care trusts and GP practices requiring support in order to improve healthcare services, with efforts starting in areas of the country with fewer doctors per head and those reporting lowest patient satisfaction.

Additionally, primary care trusts will produce local action plans to improve access to healthcare services in “problem areas”, while the government will provide patients a range of information through its NHS choices websites.

Health secretary Alan Johnson said: “I am particularly concerned about areas of deprivation where there is greater need for GP services, but fewer available compared to more prosperous parts of the country.”

He added that all patients should gain the benefit of superior primary care services, irrespective of their background or place of residence, calling for more convenient GP opening hours in currently deprived areas.

Earlier this week, the DoH announced the areas of responsibility for its new ministerial team, including Mr Johnson as secretary of state for health, Ben Bradshaw as minister of state for health services and Ann Keen as parliamentary under-secretary of state for health services.