Some three quarters of GPs support the introduction of fees for out-of-hours surgery visits, according to online research by the family doctors’ association, quoted by website Medisch Contact.

Of the 1022 doctors who took part in the survey, 77% said they supported fees, which they say would discourage non-essential visits to evening and weekend surgeries. Two years ago, 65% backed the introduction of fees.
Four out of five weekend and evening visits to doctors’ surgeries are not for emergency complaints, leading to budgets being overspent, the research showed.

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