Report warns that cost of care by GPs out of hours could be higher than expected
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《英国医生杂志》
The cost of funding evening and weekend care by GPs in the United Kingdom could be much higher than the NHS had expected, according to a report published by the House of Commons Health Committee last week.
Individual GPs are currently responsible for providing out of hours care for their patients, but they will be able to opt out of providing this service from 31 December. For GPs who opt out the responsibility for out of hours services will be taken on by their local primary care trusts. The report from the health committee reviewed evidence from a range of sources on the likely impact of this change.
The report warns the government to ensure that the trusts were ready for the implications of the change on resources and staffing. Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA抯 General Practitioner Committee, said: "We told the health committee that more than 90% of practices are likely to hand over responsibility for out of hours cover to their local primary care organisation by the end of the year."
Around nine million people received out of hours care every year, according to the report, which adds that the service also plays a role in controlling demand on other parts of the NHS, including emergency departments and ambulance services. A group of GPs told the committee that without an effective out of hours service emergency services in their area could have to cope with an extra 25 000 patients every month.
Despite extra resources from the government, the report found that many trusts faced major gaps between the funding that would be available for GPs?out of hours services and what these services would actually cost to deliver. It said this was mainly because the traditional obligation GPs felt to provide evening and weekend care had "largely disguised" the true cost of the service.
MPs heard evidence that paying "acceptable" hourly rates for GPs indicated that there could be a funding shortfall of around ?00 000 per trust—and in some cases much more.
David Hinchliffe, chairman of the committee, said, "It is clear from our evidence that there is anxiety in many quarters about securing adequate funding for GP out of hours services." The report recommends that the Department of Health monitor closely the financial arrangements for out of hours services closely.(London Susan Mayor)
Individual GPs are currently responsible for providing out of hours care for their patients, but they will be able to opt out of providing this service from 31 December. For GPs who opt out the responsibility for out of hours services will be taken on by their local primary care trusts. The report from the health committee reviewed evidence from a range of sources on the likely impact of this change.
The report warns the government to ensure that the trusts were ready for the implications of the change on resources and staffing. Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA抯 General Practitioner Committee, said: "We told the health committee that more than 90% of practices are likely to hand over responsibility for out of hours cover to their local primary care organisation by the end of the year."
Around nine million people received out of hours care every year, according to the report, which adds that the service also plays a role in controlling demand on other parts of the NHS, including emergency departments and ambulance services. A group of GPs told the committee that without an effective out of hours service emergency services in their area could have to cope with an extra 25 000 patients every month.
Despite extra resources from the government, the report found that many trusts faced major gaps between the funding that would be available for GPs?out of hours services and what these services would actually cost to deliver. It said this was mainly because the traditional obligation GPs felt to provide evening and weekend care had "largely disguised" the true cost of the service.
MPs heard evidence that paying "acceptable" hourly rates for GPs indicated that there could be a funding shortfall of around ?00 000 per trust—and in some cases much more.
David Hinchliffe, chairman of the committee, said, "It is clear from our evidence that there is anxiety in many quarters about securing adequate funding for GP out of hours services." The report recommends that the Department of Health monitor closely the financial arrangements for out of hours services closely.(London Susan Mayor)