GPs at ‘breaking point’ say they must cap appointments

GPs at ‘breaking point’ say they must cap appointments – but could it harm patients?

Health / Sun 18th Aug 2024 at 07:48am

GPs in England have launched a work-to-rule action in a dispute with the government over what they say is a lack of funding. It threatens to bring chaos to the system reports the BBC.

Surgeries are taking a variety of steps and some are limiting the number of patients each GP can see to 25 per day. That could reduce the number of available appointments by a third.

Click below for full story.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg3wgjkedzo

7 Comments for GPs at ‘breaking point’ say they must cap appointments – but could it harm patients?:

gary roberts

2024-08-18 08:35:03

It could be suggested that patients' haven't felt any difference since 2011. In Potter Street there isn't a doctors surgery just an empty derelict building apparently "transferred" to the MIND Charity in March. Has anyone seen any work being done on Osler House? I asked my local councillors and it appears two of them don't reply to any important issues relating to Potter Street. These two are keeping up the standard displayed in the last council. Cllr. Wilkinson where are you? Come back!!!

Adam

2024-08-18 10:24:09

maybe if we did not let the BMA dictate the number of medical schools or medical school places to create a scarcity of Drs. Maybe if most GPs did not work part time (only 33.1% of GP partners and 9.1% of salaried GPs worked full time.), we would be in a better position. Anyway these days any one who thinks the NHS is good is a fool, get private medical insurance and hope you do not need to use the NHS in a emergency as it will likely kill you as cure you especially if you are elderly.

Brian Aston

2024-08-18 15:46:49

I feel very sorry for our GP systems. The system is the wrong way around, with the GPs expected to pick up all of the slack in the healthcare system. Speaking from personal experience, as someone with complex health needs, the GP surgery should be the hub of a patient's treatment as they have the most patient time. But the way the health service is now set up, they have to bear the brunt of lack of capacity in other departments. I have a number of letters from specialist clinics saying words to the effect "The GP surgery can take over this care". Great if it is one clinic, but when it is multiple clinics saying the same thing, for the same patient and then add other patients from other clinics. The GP surgery is over worked, so it is a struggle to get an appointment, and we have all seen the outcome of that. Ultimately patients will suffer, but patients will suffer equally if GPs burn out and leave the profession due to stress.

RLB

2024-08-18 16:37:57

They say that are over worked but they have done nothing since COVID. Impossible to get a GP appointment nowadays. But they have said it will all go away with more money to line their pockets. They are funded by the amount of people on their books. Should be funded by how many they see in a day.

Jean

2024-08-18 20:34:08

Have you noticed GP's don't explain what extra work they have to do. Since covid surgeries are empty of patients. Our surgery always had patients sitting in the waiting room with Mondays being the busiest+all of the drs were seeing patients. Now, IF you you get a face to face appt you are probably one of 3 patients waiting. The GP's hours aren't like the 'family doctor' days. They worked 4 full days, had a day off but on call on rota through the night+at weekends. It was continuous care. They should bring it back+do away with out of hours surgeries which would save money I'm sure.

Marie

2024-08-18 20:42:10

More flats being built means more ppl and therefore even more pressure on our services that are already stretched to the limit. Because ppl find it hard to get a doctor's appointment they go to A&E which puts the hospital under more pressure It's a vicious circle and going to get far worse as more ppl move into the town.

Pedro

2024-08-18 21:09:41

Both Labour and the Conservatives are playing a "long game" to dismantle the Jewel in the crown, the NHS, Tony Blair played a big part in the plan when he changed GPs contracts by awarding them huge salary increases and drastically reduced working hours, the push to reduce local surgeries to create super hubs driven by profit rather than patient care, Private organisations entered the NHS to deliver general practice care under the new APMS contract, including multinational corporations such as United Healthcare and Virgin, as well as companies run by groups of GPs. These companies also started providing NHS walk-in centres, mobile screening units, occupational therapy and health visitors. We are allowing the government to sleepwalk us to a private healthcare system where shareholders and profit are key and unless you have insurance you will not be treated.