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NHS review targets GPs and bugs NHS review targets GPs and bugs
(20 minutes later)
Giving people easy access to GPs and tackling hospital infections are to form the key themes of the interim review of the NHS in England. A major package of measures have been unveiled to improve access to GPs and tackle hospital infections.
Lord Ara Darzi, a health minister and practising surgeon, will later set out what the government wants to do to tackle the twin priorities. Ministers have asked local health chiefs to work with GPs in a bid to get half of practices opening on Saturday mornings or in the evenings.
He will also say that innovation has a key role to play in improving NHS care. Money is also being set aside to open 100 new practices in the poorest areas and set up 150 super surgeries with a range of extra services.
A £100m fund is to be set up for the next five years to support technological advancements. All hospital patients are also to be screened for MRSA.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson said: "This is a massive investment in primary care provision and will benefit millions of patients."
Lord Ara Darzi, a health minister and practising surgeon, announced that a £100m fund is to be set up for the next five years to support technological advancements.
Bringing forward Darzi's findings so soon is yet another example of this government using our NHS as a political football Andrew Lansley, shadow health secretary Send us your commentsBringing forward Darzi's findings so soon is yet another example of this government using our NHS as a political football Andrew Lansley, shadow health secretary Send us your comments
It is to be overseen by a new Health Innovation Council in a joint partnership with the Wellcome Trust.It is to be overseen by a new Health Innovation Council in a joint partnership with the Wellcome Trust.
But it will be the announcement on GP access and hospital infections that will generate the most interest.
Both subjects are likely to become key battlegrounds if an election is announced next week, as all three of the major political parties believe there are votes to be won by gearing policies towards them.
The government is looking at getting some GPs to extend opening hours into the evening and on Saturday mornings.
Lord Darzi is also known to be keen on polyclinics, which are super-health centres combining community services, such as GPs and social care, with other care more associated with hospitals.
Private sector
And the Department of Health is in discussions with the private sector about introducing GP services into the high street in supermarkets and pharmacies.
Last month, Prime Minister Gordon Brown used the Labour conference to announce there was to be a "deep clean" of hospital wards as well as more powers for health staff to hold cleaners to account.
Meanwhile, the Tories said they would renegotiate the GP contract, which allowed family doctors to give up the responsibility for out-of-hours care.
GPs are coming under pressure to extend surgery hours
The Darzi review was announced in the summer with the final report expected next year in time for the 60th anniversary of the NHS.The Darzi review was announced in the summer with the final report expected next year in time for the 60th anniversary of the NHS.
The government has set up a series of citizen juries to look at a range of issues covering safety, quality and access, with the aim of creating what ministers call a more personalised NHS.The government has set up a series of citizen juries to look at a range of issues covering safety, quality and access, with the aim of creating what ministers call a more personalised NHS.
But doctors and political parties are sceptical about the motives of the government as the interim report was not expected for another week.But doctors and political parties are sceptical about the motives of the government as the interim report was not expected for another week.
Jonathan Fielden, of the British Medical Association, said: "We hope it will set out a clear vision for the NHS and be about engaging with clinicians.Jonathan Fielden, of the British Medical Association, said: "We hope it will set out a clear vision for the NHS and be about engaging with clinicians.
GPs are coming under pressure to extend surgery hours
"But my concern is that it will be about getting good news about before an election.""But my concern is that it will be about getting good news about before an election."
Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Bringing forward Darzi's findings so soon is yet another example of this government using our NHS as a political football.Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Bringing forward Darzi's findings so soon is yet another example of this government using our NHS as a political football.
"How can NHS professionals feel confident and how can patients feel safe when they know that this report must have been cobbled together without consideration for clinical evidence.""How can NHS professionals feel confident and how can patients feel safe when they know that this report must have been cobbled together without consideration for clinical evidence."
Liberal Democrat Health Secretary Norman Lamb said it had only been three months since Gordon Brown launched the review.Liberal Democrat Health Secretary Norman Lamb said it had only been three months since Gordon Brown launched the review.
"How much can he have listened while engineering all the talk about elections?"How much can he have listened while engineering all the talk about elections?
"The key to providing better services to patients is making the NHS more responsive to local communities, not a plan imposed on the whole country by ministers sitting in Whitehall.""The key to providing better services to patients is making the NHS more responsive to local communities, not a plan imposed on the whole country by ministers sitting in Whitehall."