A LEADING GP has warned that doctors could be reluctant to take on extra shifts as a new scheme offering patients appointments seven days a week gets underway.

On Wednesday three federations of GP practices, including one in Abingdon, agreed to launch the new service, with additional hours on weekday evenings, and a surgeries on Sunday from 8am to 11am.

As well as the Abingdon federation of six practices, two other federations featuring 50 practices across the county are also offering the improved service.

The scheme is funded by the NHS and is designed to take the pressure off accident and emergency departments at hospitals.

But Dr Helen Salisbury, a GP at Observatory Medical Practice, said some GPs could be reluctant to staff rotas for additional hours when 21 practices in the OxFed federation are expected to go live on March 1.

She said: "I work 12 and 13 hour days and do not have the capacity to take on extra sessions.

"We do need more GP capacity but it is much less clear that it is needed at evenings and weekends and lots of GPs will feel the same way.

"The issue we have is an under-supply of GPs and we might be better off having more funding for routine general practice, providing slots in the normal working day.

"When pilot schemes were carried out people did not really want to see their GP on a Sunday, they only wanted to see their GP on a Sunday if they could not get an appointment in the week."

Dr Salisbury, a candidate for the National Health Action Party in last year's Witney by-election, said she believed computer 'software issues' meant the Oxford federation was launching the additional hours service a month later than other federations in the county.

She added: "Anything that brings more capacity is a good idea but I think the money could be better spent.

"Patients want to see their own GP in their own surgery without having to wait several weeks."

Helen Shute, chief executive of OxFed, said March 1 was the 'target date' and the additional hours service was likely to be provided at one location, expected to be in East Oxford.

She added that OxFed expected to receive NHS funding of about £1m until March 2018, which would include covering the cost of setting up the scheme.

Joe McManners, chairman of Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, a GP at Manor Surgery, Headington, said he thought patients would welcome the additional appointments from March 1.

He added: "It has taken a little bit longer in Oxford to link up computer systems which could explain the delay.

"I hope this will add to the number of appointments that are available for patients and it should also reduce patients' waiting time.

"I will probably do some extra sessions myself although I have not been booked in for any yet.

"Personally I would not object to doing some extra slots on a rota basis but they should not be compulsory.

We are all in agreement there is not enough capacity in primary care so we welcome this extra resource.

"The key issue is not so much extra slots on evenings and weekends, it is making sure we have enough resources across the board."

The new service will be offered in:

* North Oxford: Banbury Road Medical Centre, Jericho Health Centre - Drs Leaver and Partners, Jericho Heath Centre - Drs Kearley, Chivers and Partners, Summertown Health Centre

*Headington: Bury Knowle Health Centre, Manor Surgery

* East Oxford: Bartlemas Surgery, Cowley Road Medical Practice, St Bartholomew's Medical Centre, St Clements Surgery

*South East Oxford: Donnington Medical Partnership, Hollow Way Medical Centre, Temple Cowley Medical Group, The Leys Health Centre

*South and West Oxford: Botley Medical Centre, Kennington Health Centre, South Oxford Health Centre

*Central Oxford: 19 Beaumont St Surgery, 27 Beaumont St Practice, 28 Beaumont St Practice, King Edward Street Surgery