The Tories’ big promise to get people a GP appointment in two weeks is only an “expectation” and could just mean a phone call, the Health Secretary admitted today.
Therese Coffey promised “a package of measures” that will mean “all patients who need an appointment can get one within two weeks” - or on the day for urgent cases.
But grilled on her plans today, the MP - who is also Deputy Prime Minister - said it would be “ideally within a fortnight”.
Asked if the two-week pledge was a “guarantee”, she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s clearly an expectation that I’m setting out on behalf of patients”.
Asked what would happen if people can’t get an appointment within two weeks, she replied: “Patients will be able to see locally where the service levels are better and they are more likely to get an appointment within that time.”
Later Ms Coffey said it was “open” to GPs to offer a phone or video consultation within two weeks, rather than seeing all patients face-to-face.
She was asked on LBC Radio if her new pledges meant patients should see a GP face to face, or whether a telephone or video consultation would do.
"I think that's open to the relationship between the GP and the patient," she said.
"I know that, throughout the pandemic, there's been a variety of ways that people have interacted with seeing their GP. I'm not going to be overly prescriptive.
"I know that some people enjoy just having a phone call, but may need to go in and see the doctor, I know that other patients are very keen in that regard."
Asked whether GPs who underperformed would face sanctions, she said: "Dare I say it ... one of the points about also opening up and publishing data by practice is it may give some patients the opportunity to choose to use a different GP and to make that change as well."
Ms Coffey - who faces MPs at 12.30pm - will boast that local surgeries will receive “state of the art” telephone systems so people will find it easier to contact their GP practice.
But leading GPs have criticised the plans saying they will have “minimal impact” on patient care. Labour, who previously pledged GP appointments within 48 hours, accused the Conservatives of acting “like the arsonists promising to put out the fire ”.
Official NHS figures reveal only 15% – 3.9 million – of the 25.9 million GP appointments made in England last month were given to patients at least two weeks after they booked an appointment.
In order to cut waiting times, Ms Coffey aims to “free up funding” for practices to employ more roles, including GP assistants and more advanced nurse practitioners, but officials have not outlined how much money will be made available.
Government officials estimate 1.2 million appointments each year can be handled by other surgery staff.
GP assistants carry out administrative tasks and sometimes they can carry out basic clinical duties, while advanced nurse practitioners are registered nurses with extra qualifications who can help treat patients.
And pharmacists could also take referrals from emergency care for minor illnesses or symptoms, such as a cough, headache or sore throat, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
