A mass poll of 15,000 doctors finds that most GPs do not want their own practice to open seven days a week
Following a Tory pledge to offer all patients GP access seven days a week, the poll found 94 percent of GPs reject the idea of having their own surgeries operating such hours.
The Telegraph reports: Plans for 7 day access to GPs are the key Conservative manifesto health pledge, along with improved hospital services at weekends.
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But the British Medical Association (BMA) survey found that 94 per cent of family doctors do not want their own surgery to offer seven day opening.
The reluctance came despite the fact half of those polled thought practices should offer more extended hours to their patients.
Under the Tory pledge, all patients would be able to access a GP seven days a week for routine appointments, seven days a week, by 2020.
Under the plan, groups of GP surgeries will be encouraged to band together in order to share the workload at evenings and weekends, so that not every practice has to open.
One in five doctors polled said they were willing provide some extended hours by working in networks.
However, the flat rejection of the idea of their own surgery opening seven days suggests major battles ahead.
Niamh Harris