Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 3 February (HL4841), what was the average number of days that GP surgeries were open in the period 27–30 December 2016.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Core hours for general practices are defined in the General Medical Services and Personal Medical Services regulations, The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts and Personal Medical Services Agreements) (Amendment) Regulations 2016, SI 2016 No.875.

Core hours are 8am – 6:30pm Monday to Friday, except Good Friday, Christmas Day and bank holidays.

The 2015-16 GP Patient Survey showed that 74.6% of patients reported that their general practitioner surgery was open at convenient times and that 75.9% were satisfied with the hours that their surgery opened.