What you need to know about the seven day NHS

Over the past two decades there has been a rise in the opening hours of many industries, such as supermarkets, transport, and retail, where you can access a broad range of services 24 hours a day. Despite this, many parts of NHS care are reduced at weekends, with primary care commonly unavailable and hospital staffing often run at lower levels.

However, this may be about to change. In his first major speech after being re-elected in May 2015, David Cameron reiterated the government’s drive towards providing a comprehensive seven day NHS service, which was initially set out in the Conservative Party’s 2010 manifesto. His speech included plans to open general practitioner surgeries from 8 am to 8 pm every day, alongside better provision in seven day hospital care.

Although extending the opening hours of the NHS will be a popular policy for the public, how will it work in practice