Latest face to face gp figures

[Omegstrat6]

Just seen the latest report on levels of face to face GP appointments. According to the BBC these ran at 80% before the lockdown and then dropped to around 54% in Jan but are still only at 58%. Why? The report quotes GPs as saying it is down to "rising demand and staff shortages". I don't doubt that either of these is true to a degree but there has not been a major drop in the number of GPs over the pandemic that we are not aware of has there? The (far lower paid) practice nurses and others have managed to return to work so why not so many GPs? I saw an interview with a GP in London a month or so ago who said that her workload had more than doubled and that criticism of GPs was unfair and that she was getting quite a lot of abuse despite all the extra hours she was putting in. I obviously do not condone such abuse and hats off to her if she is doing this, but most people's perception-based on experience-is that this is not generally the case and the situation then also puts more pressure on A&E staff. Either provide clear reasons for the drop in face to face consultations so that people can understand or get back to work!

[kettering_baggie]

There are also the Covid and Flu jab facilities that all require at least one doctor to be present. At my doctors here in Kettering we have a drive through jab facility and some of the doctors are there giving the injections and in case of an emergency. There has been a shortage of doctors for some years now and a shortage of medical school places, which according to reports, is being addressed. Such has been the time pressures on GPs there have been fewer newly qualified doctors opting to go into general practice. Nothing to worry about, though, Boris is on the case………..

[WBA123]

An ageing demographic + Falling GP numbers + a Government that cuts Public services to the bone

= Guess what the end result is

[Omegstrat6]

There are also the Covid and Flu jab facilities that all require at least one doctor to be present. At my doctors here in Kettering we have a drive through jab facility and some of the doctors are there giving the injections and in case of an emergency. There has been a shortage of doctors for some years now and a shortage of medical school places, which according to reports, is being addressed. Such has been the time pressures on GPs there have been fewer newly qualified doctors opting to go into general practice. Nothing to worry about, though, Boris is on the case………..

Hear what youre saying and I know you cant tar everyone with the same brush but a drop of 22% in the numbers seen face to face is a big drop if the numbers of GPs in the country has not actually fallen over the period of the pandemic (I dont dispute the fact that there has been an ongoing shortage of doctors for a while now as the pre-covid figure of 80% face to face consultations might indicate). In a local surgery the GP only carpark that was always pretty full pre-pandemic now only has one or two cars and it is hard enough to book even a telephone appointment which begs the question of where they all are because surely they cannot all be on duty covering jab centres. I am not saying that there might not be genuine reasons for the fall in the numbers of face to face consultations, just that a lot of people's experiences and perceptions at the moment lead them to question why. Still, as you say, Boris has got it all under control lol (just a pity the Labour party is too divided to offer some decent opposition/alternative)

[mickd1961]

An ageing demographic + Falling GP numbers + a Government that cuts Public services to the bone

= Guess what the end result is

Oh do put another record on FFS!

My local surgery has a full compliment of GP’s yet it’s been impossible for me or the wife or other locals to get a face to face appointment for 19 months now.

We are a village surgery with three GP’s and a nurse.

The nurse has done all the face to face appointments over the last 19 months,when I asked her why she said they were “braver” than the GP’s and that the practice GP’s were “hiding” elsewhere and had to be contacted if the nurse needed further advice.

I checked one of our GP’s at Companies House and her and her GP husband each earned around £375k during the last financial year.

Not bad for someone in hiding who’s employed by our “underfunded” NHS!!

It’s an absolute scandal......they have been the disgrace of this pandemic.

[phild]

Hardly anybody has been able to see a GP in the last 18months as most are out playing golf, I'll have you know. There are thousands of excess deaths at home. I don't think Gps should even be paid as they are currently doing absolutely zilch.

[wbaliquidator]

2021 and the world’s population is the most unhealthiest in decades
The so called Western Diet of Sugar and high carbs is the biggest weapon of mass destruction to date.
Heart disease, Diabetes, obesity were virtually unknown less than 60 years ago.
Fix the cause not the symptoms of an overrun health service.

[westcountryvillain]

I got a face to face appointment when I needed it, car park full and the person who took my call could not have been more helpful.

Vaccination centres need a clinical lead, this does not need to be a doctor - as a pharmacist I sometimes do this work, but doctors can opt to do the same and there is a reported crisis with suicides, GP's leaving the profession due to the stress, quicker than they can be replaced. Locum GP's are charging huge day rates because they are in such high demand.

£375k is obscene money - GP's are the biggest private contractor with the NHS and when the NHS was conceived they were dead set against it until their financial futures were secured.

Plenty of appointments can be safely done over the phone with a face to face added when needed, however for any GP's opting not to see anyone is wholly unacceptable, unprofessional and warrants investigation by their regulatory body.

[DaveP67 is back!]

I think a public enquiry is needed!