Out-of-hours GP Services

Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 3:11 pm on 31 January 2018.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 3:11, 31 January 2018

Yes, and I think that's the point: if needed, and who is the right healthcare professional. Part of the success of 111 has been the fact that most of the system that was introduced in England was actually a group of non-clinical call handlers with an algorithm—a script to go through. Often that was rather more cautious and ended up directing people into accident and emergency departments when it wasn't necessarily the right thing for them to do. In Wales, we've spent more time on developing a proper clinical desk. So, you normally have a GP, you normally have a nurse and a pharmacist, and now we're introducing a therapist, and there is often a physiotherapist. So, you get that broader team in actually answering the call at the first port of call as well, and it's been successful. There's been evidence and evaluations that have been undertaken by Sheffield university medical research centre, which shows good practice in the roll-out of 111 here in Wales and a good reason to roll it out. That has to go alongside the extra robustness of having the right healthcare professionals, including, of course, GPs, within the service. I do recognise the fragility we have in some parts of our system here in Wales; that's why getting 111 right will really make a difference so that those GPs who do take part will want to continue to staff our out-of-hours service.