General Practice core hours are defined as:
Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM
(Excluding Bank Holidays)
Practices have the flexibility to determine how services are provided within these hours in consultation with their patients and Patient Participation Group (PPG). The core contract does not require a practice to:
However, practices must ensure that their opening hours and service provision are sufficient to meet the reasonable needs of their patients.
Practices must provide essential services during core hours at times that appropriately meet the needs of their patients. There must also be arrangements in place for patients to access these services in case of an emergency.
Practices are required to provide:
The delivery of these services is at the discretion of the practice, following discussions with patients to ensure care is appropriate.
It is common for practices to subcontract a portion of their core hours to another provider—for example, to facilitate staff training.
If a practice intends to subcontract, they must notify the commissioner. The commissioner can only object if there is:
For further guidance on service delivery and contractual compliance, please contact the LMC.
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