PATIENTS will get more same-day GP appointments under NHS improvement plans, Wes Streeting says.
The Health Secretary has set a new rule that 100 per cent of patients who need urgent help get offered a slot the same day as they call.
The current target is 90 per cent.
Surgeries will also get extra cash to hire more doctors so they can offer more appointments.
Long waits to get seen are a patient bugbear and have increased pressure on A&E departments.
Public satisfaction with the NHS is at an all-time low and GP delays are a top gripe, with 77 per cent unhappy with their practice.
Mr Streeting said: “We’re giving practices the flexibility to hire more GPs and backing them with extra funding to do so.
“As a result, many more patients with urgent needs will be able to get an appointment the day they contact their practice.
“Taken together, our changes will help patients stay healthy and out of hospital, whether it’s jabs for children, screening for lung cancer, weight loss support, or continuity of care.
“We’re backing our GPs to build a healthier nation.”
The NHS will ringfence £300million of funding especially for hiring and increasing appointment numbers.
Beccy Baird, from The King’s Fund think-tank, said: “It’s clear that prevention has been placed at the forefront of the new GP contract and the government also continues its emphasis on improving access for patients.”
