24-7 GP is a low cost service for medical advice over the phone available 24 hours a day. 24-7 GP is a solution to new changes happening to NHS doctor/patient relationships with a huge market (no age barrier) and a potential as company benefit, a low cost alternative to PMI. The 24-7 GP service is available in UK and Ireland only.

24-7 GP enables you to talk in confidence, to a qualified practising GP without the worry and inconvenience of time constraints, the advice and every call remains confidential. No personal details or any advice given will be passed on to any organisation or individual without your prior consent.

The 24-7 GP telephone consultation service is available 24 hours a day, every single day of the year.

24-7 GP - Doctors Advice 24 hours a day 7 days per week!

24-7 GP Call a Doctor offers a unique 24-hour service to unlimited telephone consultations with a GP. This high-quality service already serves around half a million people in the UK and in worldwide. The 24-7 GP service gives unlimited telephone consultations to a practising GP in the UK. The 24-7 GP telephone is always answered by a medically trained professional who can work with the caller to talk through their health questions.

24-7 GP - Quality

As a medical service 24-7 GP Call a Doctor takes quality seriously. 24-7 GP's Medical Director personally recruits all medical professionals and controls the content of any medical briefings held at the control centre. Confidentiality is paramount to maintain high patient satisfaction levels and give confidence in the call a doctor service. 24-7 GP are registered with all the appropriate authorities and work to the highest standards of patient information management.

24-7 GP call a Doctor has a multitude of quality measures that include:

• Voice recording for all calls and consultations
• Call scheduling ensures convenient and adequate consultations times
• Unique dedicated software enables clear management reporting
• Consultations are regularly audited by Medical Director
• Regular GP briefing and training sessions
• Strict recruitment protocols for medical professionals

The team that manage 24-7 GP Call a Doctor services are experienced professionals. 24-7 GP's bring with them a diverse range of skills that ensure quality is inherent at every stage of the service delivery.

24-7 GP Parent Company - Medical Solutions

• One of the largest providers of private primary care services
• Substantial links with over 180 GPs
• Based in modern communications centre which operates 24 hours/365 days
• Dedicated operators who are specifically trained
• Company been operating since 1998
• Cover circa 500,000 people (to date)

24-7 GP Partners

• Standard Life
• Exeter Friendly Society
• Legal and General
• KPMG
• Nuffield Hospitals Health Screening
• Go Private
• IHC/Working Well

24-7 GP - NHS Primary Care Changes – how the Doctor/Patient relationship is changing

• Major contractual changes in delivery of NHS primary care services from April 2004
• Significant shortage of GPs – 30% of GPs due to retire over next few years
• Significant GP dissatisfaction with NHS
• Serious shortage of other primary care providers such as nurses, paramedics
• NHS GP contract is changing from old GMS to new GMS and PMS from April 2004
• Significant shortage of GPs with 30% aged 55 and over
• GPs are increasingly retiring or working part time
• New GMS/PMS contracts will reduce GP contracted hours from 7 days a week, 24 hours a day legal commitment to 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday
• New legislation will transfer out-of-hours weekend responsibility from the GP to PCT between April and December 2004
• New weekday contract will be with the surgery and not with the patient’s GP
• New GMS contract separates the NHS GP responsibilities as follows: i) Essential services – sick patients; ii) Additional services – vaccination (contraception, child health, chronic disease management, cervical services); and iii) Enhanced services – specialist surgery (GPwSI). Surgeries must choose to opt into these services
• New contracts are funded locally by the PCT and not the Department of Health
• Both PMS and GMS surgeries are contracted to provide 24 hour access to a primary care professional and 48 hour access to a GP
• Patient will have contract with surgery and no longer with GP
• New Contract is only Monday – Friday, 8am – 6.30pm
• PCT responsible for out of hours primary care provision – nurses, A&E, pharmacists, GPs
• 24 hour appointment commitment with primary care professional – delegation to nurses, A & E, pharmacist
• 48 hour doctor appointment commitment – not achieved in many areas
• Is already creating significant patient dissatisfaction

24-7 GP Medical Solutions – Modus Operandi

1. Voice recording for all calls and consultations
2. Call scheduling ensures convenient and adequate consultation times
3. Dedicated software enables full management reporting
4. Consultations audited by medical director
5. Regular GP briefing and training sessions

When would 24-7 GP be used?

1. Diagnosis of symptoms and advice on treatment
2. Child is unwell – how serious is it?
3. How important is a medical problem – do you need to see a GP?
4. Further explanation of condition/treatment or a second opinion
5. Sensitive or confidential matters
6. Travel advice
7. Advice about medication

24-7 GP - Benefits To Clients

1. Fast and convenient access
2. Diagnosis and reassurance regarding any health concerns
3. No limit to the number of consultations
4. Consultations can be as long or as frequent as appropriate
5. Doctor’s diagnosis and advice takes account of caller’s personal medical history
6. Excellent user satisfaction