Seven-day GPs ‘a pipe dream’

Dr Kailash Chand

A FORMER Oldham doctors’ leader has warned chasing a “politically-driven pipe dream” of a seven-day health service is impossible when the curent system is already under strain.

Dr Kailash Chand, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association and a GP for more than 30 years, demanded that Prime Minister David Cameron and the Government set out how it will pay for expanded healthcare, arguing that it isn’t achievable on the current NHS budget.

Writing for GP Online, Dr Chand said the NHS was facing a “chronic shortage of medical staff” and that there are not enough GPs or funding to support practices opened for an additional two days.

Dr Chand said: “The medical needs of the public remain significant at weekends. With the BMA, I fully support the idea of seven-day NHS services, provided we have the human and infrastructure resources to deliver them.

“A fully-functioning seven-day health service within the existing NHS budget, however, is not achievable and will need even more money than the sums already pledged. Politicians have given no practical explanation of how they are going to fund this extra care.

“This politically-driven promise risks damaging the existing NHS services on which we all rely. There is no point chasing a pipe dream when the current foundations of the NHS in general and general practice in particular are under such strain.”