The NHS is failing to offer sufficient out of hours GP care for severely ill patients according to a report by the Royal College of Physicians taskforce.
The reportAcute medical care: The right person, in the right setting, first time says that out-of-hours care outside of hospitals is largely inadequate and inflexible, so patients go to hospitals because there is nowhere else for them to get the reassurance and care they need. The taskforce said there is a need to expand the range of services, providers and facilities offering immediate acute medical care outside traditional hospitals.
The report also recommended the introduction of a local “navigation hub” with a local, wellpublicised telephone number to direct patients to the most appropriate service, linked to a more locally relevant NHS Direct. In addition, it said that out-of-hours cover is in need of better access to diagnostic facilities, including scans and blood tests to create a “see and treat” culture rather than the “see and greet” one that currently exists.
