Health leaders have been told they need to make sure patients can access care if GPs close on the day of the Queen’s funeral. NHS England has written to local and regional leaders saying that, while GP services will be able to close on the bank holiday, there needs to be “sufficient” out-of-hours care for patients.
It also asked for scheduled Covid booster care home visits to be carried out as planned and “strongly” encouraged clinics due that day to stay open. The letter, signed by NHS England’s director of primary care Dr Ursula Montgomery, added: “Given the importance of delivering the Covid-19 autumn booster programme, we would ask that scheduled care home visits (which are a high priority for the programme) are maintained and delivered as planned.
“We strongly encourage any clinics scheduled on that day to be maintained, particularly where there is a high population need. GP practices will be contractually able to close on this day for their core services as it is a confirmed bank holiday.
