GPs agree new contracts

Dr Richard Vautrey from the British Medical Association has said a new agreement for every person aged 75 and over to have named GPs will allow them to "focus" on their needs.

"GPs want to spend less time ticking boxes on their computer and more time with their patients.

"What we've agreed with the Government is to remove some of the targets that were set by them just a few months ago and instead spend more time particularly focusing on the needs of of the elderly and our most vulnerable patients."

Under a new contract for GPs, over-75s will be assigned a named GP to ensure they receive co-ordinated care from next year.

We asked users of ITV News' Facebook page their views on the changes:

Read: Key changes in over-75s GP care from next year

Dr Clare Gerada, chair of the Royal College of GPs, has welcomed the new contract for doctors to be responsible to ensure over-75s receive appropriate co-ordinated care.

Read: GPs agree new contracts

The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has told ITV News the introduction of named GPs for over-75s will ensure they get "the kind of wrap around care that makes such a difference".

He added that it was the first step in "restoring the personalised care that we used to have in the NHS and people have really felt has been missing for too long".

He also said it will relieve the pressure on A&E departments and is part of a "broader change we're introducing, which is personalised care for everyone who has a long-term condition".

Read: GPs agree new contracts

A spokesman for the British Medical Association has said there has been no agreement on publication of GPs salaries proposed by the Health Secretary.

Mr Hunt has said the "transparency" would help patients patients decide whether their doctor is giving "good value for money".

Read: Hunt reveals plans for GPs to reveal their salaries

Patients could be able to see how much their GP is paid under proposals announced by the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

It is hoped the increased level of transparency would help patients decide whether their doctor was giving good value for money.

Jeremy Hunt told The Times (£): "The public will know what salaries GPs are taking home for NHS work.

"This will give the Government more confidence to hand more funds to GPs in future."

He also said he did not mind if GPs were well paid as long as they were providing an excellent service to patients. "The transparency will make (failures) untenable," he added.

A&E crises became "a thing of the past" under Labour and have returned under the Coalition because it has become harder to get GP appointments, the shadow home secretary told Daybreak.

Labour's Andy Burnham dismissed claims reforms to out-of-hours services in 2004 made GPs less accessible to patients, forcing the sick to take a trip to A&E for help.

Mr Burnham said: "Nothing in this announcement today will make it easier. Patients will still face the frustration of ringing the surgery at 9 o'clock in the morning and being told there is nothing available in that day or subsequent days."