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Conservatives consider cap on GP appointments

Practice nursing
Plans to cap the number of times patients can visit general practice in a year, before being charged for appointments are being considered by the government.

Plans to cap the number of times patients can visit general practice in a year, before being charged for appointments are being considered by the government.

A Conservative Party discussion briefing on local health provision, seeks views on whether industry bodies agree or disagree with an annual limit on GP appointments.

The paper also asks whether evening and weekend appointments with GPs and consultants are a ‘luxury' the country cannot afford. The proposals were dismissed by chair of the Royal College of GPs Dr Clare Gerada as ‘short-sighted'. Campaigning group 38 Degrees launched a petition against the proposals with more than 182,000 signatures as IN went to press.