GPs failing in drive to offer late opening hours

The Government wants half of all GP practices to offer extended opening hours by the end of the year, and is spending £150 million on those that agree to the new hours.

But figures released today show that just 20 per cent of doctors' surgeries open in the evenings and at weekends.

Today's figures come after plans to build polyclinics in London were rubber stamped by health bosses last week.

The "supersurgeries" are expected to be popular with commuters and workers because they will open late at night. But some doctors fear that patients will prefer them to their traditional surgeries. The Conservatives announced today that 608 GP surgeries across the country are under threat from polyclinics, as well as 1,100 in London.

The Department of Health defended its plans, pointing out that the number of surgeries offering extended hours has increased from 12 per cent in April this year, to 20 per cent last month.

Health services minister Ben Bradshaw said: "Today's data shows that the NHS is well on track to achieve our aim of at least half of GPs providing extended hours for patients by the end of the year.

"This is great news for patients. People want more personal and convenient health care, so primary care services need to adapt to respond to this need. I'm very pleased that so many GPs are already responding to this and we expect more and more GPs doing so over the coming months."

But an Evening Standard audit in March found that seven out of 10 GPs in London are failing to offer extended hours. A survey of doctors' opening hours showed there is a postcode lottery over access to treatment in the evenings and weekends, with the majority of GP practices open between 9am and 5pm and many shut at lunchtime.

As a result, thousands of patients have to take time off work or visit A&E units to get treatment.

It comes despite a National Audit Office report which revealed this year that doctors have more than doubled their pay but are working seven hours less a week. The average GP's salary is now £110,000 a year, a rise of nearly a third in two years.

The Government has said that it is setting up more than 100 new GP practices in parts of the country that have a lack of doctors, as well as 150 "GP-led health centres".