Watchdog's concern at out-of-hours NHS service

The health ombudsman today voiced her concerns about the quality of care given to NHS patients out of hours.

Ann Abrahams said she had investigated a number of complaints against agencies that provide care to patients when GPs' surgeries close.

"I have seen a number of serious cases involving GP deputising services," she said in her latest report. "Quality of care, communication with patients and record-keeping in these cases is a real cause for concern."

Her comments come as more GPs are handing over responsibility for outofhours care to primary care organisations.

The ombudsman's report includes details of four complaints involving outofhours care. Three of these centred on Primecare, a private firm employed by the NHS.

In one case, the parents of a 32-year-old man in north-east London phoned Primecare after his "flu-like" symptoms got worse. By the time a doctor arrived, Mr Y was delirious, vomiting and had a non-blanching rash all over his body, which did not disappear when pressed.

The doctor phoned 999 and arranged for an ambulance to transfer the man to hospital. He left before the ambulance arrived.

Mr Y was taken to hospital, where he died shortly afterwards from meningococcal septicaemia.