Health minister calls for more self care
By Sanjay Tanday, 11 December 2009
Health minister Mike O'Brien has called for more patients to be treated closer to home as a way of making savings within the NHS.
Mr O'Brien: a greater focus on self care could help to free up GP's time
Speaking at the annual reception for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Primary Care and Public Health, Mr O'Brien said that practice-based commissioners should work with the acute sector to develop innovative ways of delivering better treatment, closer to home.
He also called for a greater focus on self care which could help to free up GP's time allowing them to concentrate on patients with serious illnesses.
‘Everyone has, and should have, the right to see a GP when they are ill. GPs say they would rather a patient come to them than risk missing something serious. We don't want to change that.
‘But things like NHS Choices, NHS Direct, better use of pharmacies and a focus on prevention and public health can have a big long-term impact.'
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