GPs fear patient exodus to Babylon as CCG confirms cuts to extended hours funding

General practices in west London have warned that they risk a patient exodus to Babylon’s GP at Hand service, after local commissioners approved plans to cut the practices’ own funding for extended opening hours.

Some practices are set to lose two thirds of their extended appointment slots, and they say that they will be forced to lay off staff because they will lose tens of thousands of pounds in practice income.

The BMJ reported last month1 that Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group, which hosts Babylon’s digital first service at one of its practices, was consulting on plans to drastically cut the number of extended hours appointments available to patients at other practices because of financial pressures. The CCG reported a £2.5m …