GPs offered ‘new deal’ with a catch

Jeremy Hunt
Jeremy Hunt

A “new deal” will be promised by the government for GPs in England – if they sign up to seven-day opening.

In a speech , Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will promise extra investment and help for under-pressure services.

The package includes plans to recruit 5,000 new GPs and another 5,000 support staff, including practice nurses reports BBC.

Financial incentives may even be offered to those willing to work in the most deprived areas.

Those who have left the profession or want to work part-time will be given more help, Mr Hunt will promise.

But he will say that in return, GPs need to get on board with his plans for weekend opening, which involves groups of practices pooling together to share the extended hours.

It builds on plans set out at the start of this year for NHS England to make the profession more attractive as the NHS is struggling to recruit new doctors.

More than one in 10 GP training places remained vacant last year.

A survey of more than 15,000 GPs by the British Medical Association before the general election in May suggested a third were considering retiring in the next five years and one in 10 was thinking about moving abroad.

Mr Hunt will urge GPs to work with him. “I want to be upfront: this is not about change I can deliver on my own,” he will say.