Not sure if anyone has picked up on this but I have just seen the TV (breakfast news bbc1) and they are saying that from october gp surgerys are to open weekends even on sundays and later on weekdays ..they are going to try this in manchester first.
I hope i have heard this right
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Our doctors have merged with another group and have placed an adverisement in the local paper advising among other things, they are to open longer hours. I live in Tameside, Greater Manchester. Joyce
We live in Hampshire - just had an email asking which days would we like to see appt available after 6:30pm and before 8:30am. (Doesn't say whether you'd still have to wait weeks to get one !) Gill
Seems like a great idea but I fear that will just give them more time to not listen. Also, how much more money will they expect bearing in mind they had a huge payrise and now work fewer hours. Years ago the service was much better because you couid ring the do and, if walking wounded, they would meet you at the surgery. Now it all costs so much more and the service is worse. Let us hope this is a step in the right direction. I live in a country area so our services are never as good as those in large towns/cities. 
Alison
My health centre must be the exception if I need to speak to a Doctor and all that days appointments have gone then the Doctor will ring me. They began trialing evening appointments about 3 years ago.
Gail
Our docs open on Saturday mornings but only for pre-arranged appointments, they do not answer the phone and you cannot collect prescriptions.
polly xx
Ours has started late surgeries for nurse and one doctor no scripts or reception and you have to knock on a side door to be let in. They also do walk in minor injury repairs.
This is good news as I always fall ill on Friday night and end up calling NHS direct or using A&E. I hope Hospitals will increase their staffing levels on weekends too. If your going to fall ill it pay's to arrange for it to happen on a Monday from my experience.
Tony.
You have read it correct, they are proposing longer hours at GP surgery's in future. Good news for those who work and can't manage an appointment in the week, also good news for emergency ill patients after all sickness is not a five day a week at set times thing is it? But bad news for GP's who have to supply the services with a dwindling level of staff and doctor shortages due to retirement .
Yay. I remember they were talking about it a couple of months ago & didn't realise it was actually going to happen.
It's a very good idea. I'm sure they wont be doing extra hours though and will just spread their working hours. It's fair enough though, I dont see why doctors should always get whole weekends off.
Most of the GPs at my practice are part time, they dont want to earn more than will take them into the highest rate of tax.
It seems the systems vary region to region. I have to wait up to 2 weeks to see a GP of my choice but I can always see a GP on the day as an 'emergency'. I think one GP each day sees all the emergency patients now. It used to be that all the emergency patients were seen at the end of surgery by all of the GPs. Ours is now 'commisioned' whatever that means ..........
That has to be good news. Sat/Sun seemed to be the favoured days for some medical problem. Not sure how it would work for our surgery, but if they worked in with another surgery??
I don't know about my surgery haven't been for a while but another local one has just started a system where you have to talk to a doctor over the phone before you can book an appointment. That seems strange.
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Doctors appointment 
Speaking to junior doctors.
Open fire!!!
