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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
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| Ministers target GPs over hours | Ministers target GPs over hours |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Health Secretary Alan Johnson is writing to every GP in England urging them to accept the government's plans for extended surgery opening hours. | Health Secretary Alan Johnson is writing to every GP in England urging them to accept the government's plans for extended surgery opening hours. |
| He hopes to persuade them to back a deal on evening and weekend opening. | He hopes to persuade them to back a deal on evening and weekend opening. |
| The government has said it will impose a settlement if agreement cannot be reached with the doctors' union, the British Medical Association. | The government has said it will impose a settlement if agreement cannot be reached with the doctors' union, the British Medical Association. |
| The BMA said the real agenda was to privatise services and undermine traditional general practice. | The BMA said the real agenda was to privatise services and undermine traditional general practice. |
| Relations between the government and the BMA have reached a new low. | Relations between the government and the BMA have reached a new low. |
| The BMA has so far refused to sanction the deal, but ministers believe the union no longer speaks for the profession at large. | The BMA has so far refused to sanction the deal, but ministers believe the union no longer speaks for the profession at large. |
| I think almost every GP in the country accepts that following the contract we are not open as much as we ought to be Michael DixonNHS Alliance Analysis: Is there a demand? class="" href="/1/hi/business/7226350.stm">GPs' views | |
| The government wants to see a majority of GP practices offering extended hours and has made an offer that would see an average-sized practice with 6,000 patients open an extra three hours a week. | The government wants to see a majority of GP practices offering extended hours and has made an offer that would see an average-sized practice with 6,000 patients open an extra three hours a week. |
| The BMA says doctors are prepared to work extra hours, but any deal should be flexible and should account for the extra costs of staying open longer. | The BMA says doctors are prepared to work extra hours, but any deal should be flexible and should account for the extra costs of staying open longer. |
| Otherwise, it has argued, patients who come during the day would see services cut. | Otherwise, it has argued, patients who come during the day would see services cut. |
| In the next few weeks, all GPs will get the chance to vote on the offer. | In the next few weeks, all GPs will get the chance to vote on the offer. |
| The government has said that if they reject it, ministers will impose a tougher settlement in England. | The government has said that if they reject it, ministers will impose a tougher settlement in England. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Surely when you become a GP you realise that people are not just ill during office hours Adrian Mugridge, Chester Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Surely when you become a GP you realise that people are not just ill during office hours Adrian Mugridge, Chester Send us your comments |
| Health minister Ben Bradshaw said: "I think it stems on our part from a concern that the current leadership of the BMA don't really speak for the profession at large. | Health minister Ben Bradshaw said: "I think it stems on our part from a concern that the current leadership of the BMA don't really speak for the profession at large. |
| "They've misrepresented the negotiations and they've misrepresented the offer that the government is making." | "They've misrepresented the negotiations and they've misrepresented the offer that the government is making." |
| Its exasperation at the situation has prompted the government to go over the head of the BMA, with Mr Johnson writing a letter to every GP in England. | Its exasperation at the situation has prompted the government to go over the head of the BMA, with Mr Johnson writing a letter to every GP in England. |
| Investment | Investment |
| In the letter, Mr Johnson insists the proposals "do not in any way reduce the substantial existing investment in these areas, and this sort of care is at the very heart of general practice". | In the letter, Mr Johnson insists the proposals "do not in any way reduce the substantial existing investment in these areas, and this sort of care is at the very heart of general practice". |
| But Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GPs committee, said: "We think this argument over a few hours either way is really a softening up. | But Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GPs committee, said: "We think this argument over a few hours either way is really a softening up. |
| "Patients are being prepared to view their GP as not very good and not very willing and not very flexible, and as a result to look kindly on the government's currently favoured model which is that patients should receive general practice from polyclinics." | "Patients are being prepared to view their GP as not very good and not very willing and not very flexible, and as a result to look kindly on the government's currently favoured model which is that patients should receive general practice from polyclinics." |
| The BMA said this could herald the demise of traditional general practice - with its focus on continuity and quality of care. | The BMA said this could herald the demise of traditional general practice - with its focus on continuity and quality of care. |
| It has sent out thousands of posters to practices, warning patients that the family doctor service is under threat. | It has sent out thousands of posters to practices, warning patients that the family doctor service is under threat. |
| Dr Michael Dixon, from the NHS Alliance, which speaks for primary care professionals, said most GPs were anxious to see the issue resolved. | Dr Michael Dixon, from the NHS Alliance, which speaks for primary care professionals, said most GPs were anxious to see the issue resolved. |
| "This makes us seem as somehow against the NHS, almost against our own patients, and that's not so. | "This makes us seem as somehow against the NHS, almost against our own patients, and that's not so. |
| "I think almost every GP in the country accepts that following the contract we are not open as much as we ought to be." | "I think almost every GP in the country accepts that following the contract we are not open as much as we ought to be." |
| Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "This is classic Labour and yet another admission of government failure to negotiate a contract with which GPs are happy and patients are satisfied." | Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "This is classic Labour and yet another admission of government failure to negotiate a contract with which GPs are happy and patients are satisfied." |