3:00pm Wednesday 17th March 2010
By Chris Wickham
Out-of-hour GP care in Richmond and Twickenham is the worst in the country, according to a Government survey.
More than a fifth of patients who receive care from GPs outside working hours rated the service “poor” or “very poor”, in the survey, revealed in a Freedom of Information request by the Patients Association (PA).
About 21 per cent of patients in the borough, where healthcare is organised by NHS Richmond, gave out-of-hours care the thumbs down.
That figure was the worst in England, with Hartlepool a close second after 20 per cent rated their care as poor. Neighbouring Hounslow and Ealing were also in the top six.
The details came from the National GP Patient Survey of more than a million patients, conducted last year.
PA director Katherine Murphy said: “There is huge variation with more than double the number of patients rating the service as poor or very poor at the bottom of the table compared to the top.
“This is completely unacceptable. The postcode lottery of care has to stop.”
Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park, said: “We generally have very high quality GP care in our area, but it is clear that there is a problem where out-of-hours provision is concerned.
“Its true that the way contracts have been written has undermined what used to be good evening and weekend services in some areas.
“Residents need to be certain that the right care is available whenever we need it, no matter what time of the day or night.
“We now need quick action from the primary care trust to address patients’ concerns and improve the service.”
An NHS Richmond spokeswoman said: “NHS Richmond GPs have retained responsibility for the provision of out-of-hours care for their patients.
“We are working with the GPs, the out of hours care provider Harmoni, and NHS Direct to plan and make improvements to the out-of-hours service.”
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