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Press release: Directed Enhanced Services rolled over: joint statement from NHS Employers and the BMA's GPs Committee

17 May 2007

NHS Employers and the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC) have agreed that 2006/07 Directed Enhanced Services for Access and for Choice and Booking will be rolled over essentially unchanged for the current year 2007/08.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the GPC, said: "This is good news as it gets rid of any uncertainty that existed about the status of these two enhanced services."

Dr Barbara Hakin, chair of NHS Employers' GMS negotiating team said:  "These DESs deliver national priorities.  Extending them for a further year will enable practices to continue their work on improving their patients' access to services and offering them choice in their consultant outpatient appointments."

Notes for editors

Contact details

The press office provides a comprehensive service to keep journalists informed about the work of NHS Employers.

If you have a media enquiry, please contact the press office team:

• Gemma Jeffcoate
  0207 074 3308 or gemma.jeffcoate@nhsemployers.org
• Emma Stafford
  0207 074 3307 or emma.stafford@nhsemployers.org

For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726.

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