Commenting on the NAO report The Provision Of Out Of Hours Medical Care published today, which highlights problems with GP out-of-hours cover, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Steve Webb MP said:

"Once again the Government has introduced a health service reform, the true cost of which has been seriously under-estimated.

"Local Primary Care Trusts have had to pick up the tab for the Government's failure to provide adequate funding for the new out-of-hours arrangements. This in conjunction with the under-funding of the new GP contracts has resulted in cuts in frontline services.  

"It is incredible that the Government should repeatedly blame local NHS managers for funding problems when time and again the Government has failed to assess the full cost of changes."