Half of GPs offer flexible opening hours

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Figures released today show a 40 per cent increase in the number of practices offering early morning, evening and weekend opening.

The figure has soared in six months, so that 4,250 out of 8,275 surgeries now offer extended hours.

The British Medical Association fought a fierce battle with Health Secretary Alan Johnson over changes to doctors' contracts. They said extended hours would disadvantage elderly patients as well as young mothers. But its members eventually agreed to new targets which came into effect in April.

A new GP contract means doctors will also be rewarded for extending their opening hours. But patients in London who want to see a GP out of hours still face a postcode lottery.

Surgeries in Barking and Dagenham come top with 93 per cent of doctors offering a flexible service.

Yet not a single practice in Newham provides out-of-hours care.