'There's clearly no sanction for GPs is there?': Nick Ferrari challenges Health Sec on NHS two-week promise

22 September 2022, 12:11

Nick Ferrari puts Health Secretary Dr Thérèse Coffey on the spot

Nick Ferrari asks Health Secretary Therese Coffey “How are you going to mandate that doctors see patients within a certain time frame?”, as he condemns the government's NHS winter plans.

Therese Coffey, Health Secretary, will deliver an NHS winter plan today that will outline measures across the priorities that matter most to patients.

All GP patients in England who need urgent treatment will receive appointments the same day in a major shake up to deal with crippling backlogs.

The move will also see patients in England be offered an appointment for non-urgent needs within two weeks.

Therese Coffey told Nick the government wants to see patients "driven by clinical needs".

The Royal College of GPs predicts that this will only serve to add to the intense workload and pressure on GPs while having minimum impact on the care patients receive.

Dr Therese who is also Deputy Prime Minister told Nick that it's "important" to publish more information so that patients can be better informed, which also helps the local NHS to be able to "target support”.

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Dr Therese later said: "We need to work with the local NHS to help practices to best share practice on how we can improve that performance and meet the expectations so they can see their GP when they need to.

"Of course patients are seeking care, but they may be able to switch to another doctor which will reduce the funding that goes into that doctor."

Nick fired back at Dr Therese that these are "just words Doctor."

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