What is your understanding of the 7 day NHS?

There are two strands to the policy. Firstly, they want local GP surgeries to open on a Saturday and Sunday. They do not expect every surgery to be open and instead have urged GPs to work together with other practices to share the extended opening. In terms of hospitals, the focus is on extending what is already available. While emergency care from A&E units to life-saving surgery is available at weekends, staffing levels are much lower, and access to key tests is more difficult than it is during the week. Ministers have identified the opt-out consultants have in their contract - meaning they do not have to do non-emergency work at weekends - as a key barrier to improving weekend care.