Jane Hutt told opponents to move forward 'positively'

The issue of changes in the way out-of-hours GP cover is provided was debated in the assembly on Tuesday.

Conservatives asked for the debate, claiming the service had become a "postcode lottery".

But Ms Hutt said opposition parties were "undermining" the service and "frightening people".

Since the introduction of a new GP contract earlier this year, some family doctors are no longer providing out-of-hours cover.

The health minister has yet again singularly failed in her duty of leadership to ensure these services operate smoothly Jonathan Morgan AM

But if GPs opt out of out-of-hours care, the local health boards have to provide cover.

The Conservatives argued in the debate that some local health boards are finding that cover difficult to administer.

Tory health spokesman Jonathan Morgan said there were problems all over Wales, leaving patients reliant on "pot luck".

He described how, in Bridgend, where private firm Primecare is providing cover, a mother with a sick child was told her nearest doctor was in Sheffield.

The Conservatives said Wales has a 'postcode lottery of GP services'

He also highlighted how, two weeks ago, the local Bridgend AM and Environment Minister Carwyn Jones had said he and his wife had been forced to take their sick son to a hospital accident and emergency department because "we could not get any sense out of Primecare".

Mr Morgan said: "The health minister has yet again singularly failed in her duty of leadership to ensure these services operate smoothly.

"She has, as usual, allowed a vital component of the health service to fall by the wayside and created a multi-tier system where patients in one area of Wales can expect entirely differing levels of service from another."

He added: "The minister must take personal charge to ensure every local health board is able to cope, and where they clearly cannot, she must provide assistance from the top.

'Widespread concern'

"If she does not take firm action soon to correct the inequalities of out-of-hours provision across Wales, there will be more horror stories, more misery from patients forced to travel huge distances and more difficult questions for the health minister to answer."

But Ms Hutt told AMs: "Let's move forward in a positive direction. The service is being provided by trained doctors and nurses, people who work at the sharp end."

Before the debate, Carwyn Jones accused the Conservatives of "trying to make political captial" out of his complaint about Primecare.

He said he had been satisfied with the way the matter had been handled.

"Both Primecare and the local health board...they're dealing with the situation and investigating the situation," said Mr Jones.

"The situation over Primecare was a procedural one. They have dealt with it very well, I've been impressed.

"There is no doubt that a lot of money has been put into it - inevitably with the new system there can be teething problems."

Plaid Cymru's Rhodri Glyn Thomas said: "It is totally unacceptable that one of the opposition parties has had to table this debate to be heard this afternoon.

"There is widespread concern amongst the population regarding the provision of out of hours services."

The Liberal Democrats' Kirsty Williams said the debate had also been prompted by the concerns raised by health professionals.