GP appointments 'within two weeks' and pharmacies handling prescriptions - key points from Therese Coffey's NHS announcement

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Therese Coffey has announced plans to ease pressure on health and social care services this winter and next. Delivering a statement in the House of Commons today (Thursday, September 22), the Health and Social Care Secretary vowed to be a champion for patients as she set out the details of 'Our Plan for Patients.' The new measures will prioritise ambulances, appointment backlogs, doctors and dentists, the government says.

Under the plans, millions of GP appointments will be freed up and patients will able to compare the performance of local surgeries.

The plan also includes freeing up funding to allow general practices to employ more roles, such as GP assistants and more advanced nurse practitioners. Read more:'My heart is broken', says mum of Manchester aid worker killed in Ukraine as British prisoners released by pro-Russia forces However, the one million volunteers who stepped up during the pandemic to support the NHS will be asked to come forward again as part of a 'national endeavour.' The announcement comes as the latest data shows the number of permanent GPs working across England has dropped year-on-year for the third month in a row.

Outlining her plans, Ms Coffey said: “Patients are my top priority and I will be their champion, focusing on the issues that most affect them or their loved ones.