NHS 7-day services
Information on the government's plans for the NHS to provide a 7-day service by 2020.
The government is committed to working with the NHS to make sure that:
- people can get the access they need to GP services
- people in need of hospital care at weekends, both those with emergency needs and those already in hospital, get the same high-quality care that they would during the week
People will be able to book GP appointments at evenings and weekends to get the right care when they need it. They will be able to access a mix of face-to-face, telephone, email and video consultations, which will provide a better fit with modern working lives.
Those with an urgent need will be able to contact NHS 111 by phone or electronically and the NHS will arrange for them to see or speak to a GP or other appropriate health professional – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Patients will get the same high-quality, safe hospital care on a Saturday and Sunday as they do on a weekday. This means having enough doctors available to assess and review patients, providing access to important diagnostic tests and ensuring that consultants are there to make timely clinical judgements.