£28m boost for out-of-hours health

Out-of-hours health services have been given a £28 million boost to make sure patients have access to a doctor at any time of day or night.

From next December, doctors can opt out of providing out-of-hours services under the new GP contract.

The Government has announced extra money over the next two years to help help Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) facing the biggest challenges in developing services once GPs have more choice over when they work.

Health Minister John Hutton said: "All of us want to know that if our child or parent is ill during the night there will be a health professional immediately available to provide the care they need.

"The challenge of providing out-of-hours care is therefore one that affects all of us."

He added: "We are fully committed to delivering the new GP contract on time so that all GPs, who wish to, can opt out of their out-of-hours responsibility from December 2004.

"This is an opportunity for PCTs to rethink the provision of out-of-hours services across their area and to co-ordinate this with other services including A&E, social care and NHS Walk-in Centres."

The extra money is on top of £110 million announced earlier this year to support the development of out-of-hours care in the new GP contract.

Mr Hutton said: "We want to move to a position where all PCTs will get a fair share of the OOH fund.

"However, some, perhaps in rural and remote or deprived inner city areas, may need more help than others to deliver OOH care by next December. The £28m will be used to support such areas."

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