Abstract
In October 2013, the British government announced plans to extend access to primary care in England, allowing patients to see their general practitioner from 8 AM to 8 PM 7 days a week. This announcement sparked considerable debate about the practical details of the proposal and whether extended access would relieve pressure on emergency departments. This article provides a background to primary care access in England and the main arguments in the current debate over extending primary care access to 7 days a week.