Access to GP services seven days a week is not the factor considered most important by patients when assessing their doctor’s surgery, a new study of more than 170 practices in the UK has found. In a survey to determine what aspects of NHS GP care patients most value and how well patients’ surgeries are…

Projects across England and Wales are breaking down barriers between primary care and hospital consultants, a report by two medical royal colleges says today. The report, from the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of General Practitioners, outlines a range of approaches to linking GP and physician services for the good of the patient.…

How balanced, transparent and apologetic are your Practice’s complaint response letters? Would the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) approve of your approach? Have you been criticised previously by the PHSO for the tone of your letters? Complaints handling is becoming an increasing issue for the NHS and the Ombudsman is receiving more and more…

At a time when hundreds, if not thousands of practices, are facing the very real threat of closure, now is the perfect time for GP partners to allow their practice managers to become the saviours of surgeries everywhere. Unlike GPs, practice managers tend to come into the profession with a variety of skills and experiences,…

Today wasn’t so much about fire fighting.  It was like wrestling a fire-breathing 40ft dragon to the ground while juggling four broken printers in the air. Another Monday in general practice. I drive in, I try to dig out the optimism that is at the bottom of my my new calf-length brown Boden boots.  I edge…

A £20 million support package will see practices in Scotland getting a 1.5% increase in funding for expenses, it has been announced. GP earnings will increase by 1% while every practice will get oxygen cylinders, it was announced. The package was unveiled by Scottish health secretary Shona Robison at the country’s annual conference of local…

The CQC has published a further 91 reports on the quality of care provided by GP practices following recent inspections. Once again the rating given to the overall standard of care being provided rose, with four practices receiving outstanding ratings and 71 rated as good. At the other end of the scale, nine practices require…