Norman Lamb highlights the impact of new out-of-hours arrangements

1.57.26pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Jul 2004

A shortage of local GPs to cover new out-of-hours arrangements has resulted in recruitment agencies flying in German doctors for weekend work in Norfolk. GPs are paid up to £80 an hour for this work. At these rates German doctors can fly to the UK, stay in a hotel and still make a profit.

From 1st July, British GPs can choose not to work nights or weekends, and hospital A&E departments are already reporting a rise in visits from patients who say they have no access to a GP outside office hours.

Norman Lamb commented that importing German doctors to cover shifts in Norfolk seemed daft, but revealed the desperate lack of health professionals in Britain, a legacy from years of under-investment.

"I cannot criticize the health service for taking whatever steps are necessary to ensure that people have access to doctors locally", said Norman Lamb yesterday. "However, this demonstrates all too powerfully the shortage of health professionals we have in this country. Too few people have been trained over the past fifteen years and we are now facing the consequences."

"These new arrangements will also prove incredibly expensive", Mr Lamb added. "The Norfolk health economy is already under enormous strain and I am particularly concerned that finding the money to pay these extraordinary rates will drain money away from other vital local services."