Out-of-hours Provision

HC Deb 16 March 2004 vol 419 cc252-3W

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the ambulance service to play a role in the provision of out-of-hours emergency care. [160661]

Ms Rosie Winterton

Where general practitioners opt out, primary care trusts (PCTs) will be able to consider a range of alternative providers; for example: NHS Direct, ambulance services, national health service walk-in centres, GP co-operatives or their successor organisations, paramedics and deputising services.

This will allow the PCTs to plan and commission innovative and integrated services focusing on the most appropriate provider for the range of care required with an enhanced focus on the use of triage and skill-mix. The service is likely to be less reliant on doctors and make more use of nurses and others such as ambulance staff. Through this approach a flexible, more responsive service can be developed with staff trained to provide a range of interventions. This will provide a better service for patients.