Tobias Ellwood has raised concerns about the planned changes in doctors’ out-of hours service, which come fully into effect in January 2005. From this date, GPs will be relieved of a 24 hour duty of care to individual patients, and practices able to opt out of night and weekend cover.

These changes have huge implications for the people of Bournemouth as overall care is reduced .With surgeries closing on weekends and nights, more patients will resort to Bournemouth Hospital's A&E department or NHS Direct which will not be able to cope with the responsibility of providing out of hours care.

The inability for patients to see a doctor may also lead to an increased workload on the ambulance service who will be called out for non emergency issues, by those without transport and who feel they have no option if a doctor is not available.

Patients will not feel as safe under this new system which from January 2005 sees GPs able to opt out of responsibility for their patients from 6.30pm to 8 am week days and on weekends and bank holidays.

Of particular concern is the loss of the Saturday morning surgery slot which is also counted as 'out of hours'. This severely impedes patients who may work some distance from where they live and therefore cannot get away during the working week.

The concept behind the changes of GP cover is to help combat the long hours GPs were working. But this solution does not meet the requirements of patient care and in the long term will cost the tax payer more as other parts of the NHS are made to compensate for loss of patient care.

For more information please contact:

Tobias Ellwood
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate
Bournemouth East
Haviland Road West
Bournemouth
BH1 4JW

Email: Tobias@bournemoutheastconservatives.com