24-hour NHS hospital care plan 'irresponsible' - Tallis

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants to make care in the NHS a 24/7 operation, but some doctors say the proposals will not work in a service that is already overstretched.

Prof Raymond Tallis, a former doctor and author of NHS SOS, gets on his soapbox to explain why he thinks hospitals cannot offer a supermarket-style of customer service all-day, all-night and all over the weekend.

He said it would be "irresponsible to support" a 24/7 service now, amid staff cutbacks, casualty closures and some hospitals shutting, and a reorganisation of the health services across England,

Prof Tallis reckoned that upgrading out-of-hours facilities could lead to downgraded services on weekdays.

NHS 24-hour service: Dr Dan Poulter and Raymond Tallis

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