- Wednesday, April 24, 2024
By: Lauren Codling
by LAUREN CODLING
DOCTORS have warned against the impact of overworked GPs leaving the profession, as new statistics showed the number of GP practices had fallen to a new record low.
NHS data released last Thursday (28) revealed the number of GP practices dropped to 6,867. This is a decrease of 270 compared to the previous year and the lowest number since records began in 1995. In addition, the number of full-time equivalent GPs in England fell to 28,315 in September 2019, down 339 compared to the previous year.
Dr Krishna Kasaraneni, British Medical Association (BMA) GP committee executive team workforce lead, called the decline in practices and GPs a “vicious cycle” and added that GPs are working longer hours to keep up with demand. His views were corroborated with findings in October that showed there were more appointments in practices in England than had been seen in any month previously.
Dr Kasaraneni told Eastern Eye: “As more colleagues leave the profession, this increases workload for those left behind, creating a vicious cycle. Without enough GPs to run and staff them, of course we are sadly going to see practices close or merge.”
Dr Jeeves Wijesuriya echoed similar sentiments, claiming some overworked doctors tended to leave the profession due to burnout. “This then creates a vicious cycle,” he told Eastern Eye, reiterating Dr Kasarani’s comments. “While more trainees are now entering general practice, there still will not be enough to meet the increasing needs of our patients or address the workload issues that already exist – especially if no action is taken to stop experienced GPs leaving.”
According to the latest figures, there has been a 10 per cent decrease in GP time available for each patient in England in the past four years. It has dropped from 60.5 minutes a year in 2015 to just 55.2 minutes a year in 2019. As well as potential increased waiting
time for patients, Dr Kasaraneni warned of the “hugely detrimental effect” that squeezing more appointments in during the day could have on doctors. “Being treated by an exhausted, stressed GP is not safe for patients,” he said.
Dr Wijesuriya cautioned that increased pressure could mean more risks of errors being made. “No one becomes a doctor to deliver less than the standard of care they would want themselves, or feel rushed when treating patients,” he said. “Sadly, as the pressures increase and doctors see patients in less time and have less capacity to see our frailer patients at home, we will see doctors leaving rather than working in these conditions, and we are more likely to see mistakes made.”
Last month, the Conservatives announced they would be increasing the immigration health surcharge from £400 to £625 a year for all non-EU migrant workers. However, many have raised concerns that the increase could have a direct impact on the number of foreign workers who could fill staff shortages in the health service.
In response, the BMA has called for all visa charges and the health surcharge to be scrapped for healthcare workers.
Both Dr Kasaraneni and Dr Wijesuriya have also pushed back against the latest surcharge increase. “It’s not fair that doctors working on the frontline of the NHS treating patients are expected to pay to use the service – especially in the face of a huge workforce crisis,” Dr Kasaraneni said.
The NHS is dependent on its ability to recruit from across the world, Dr Wijesuriya added, and the charge means government are introducing yet another cost for those who come here to help the workforce.
“We have to increase the size of our workforce for the future, and also find new ways to tackle the issues we are already facing with workload and ensuring general practice is a desirable career again,” he said.
In response to the statistics, Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth promised
the opposition party would invest in family doctor services and train more GPs.
Liberal Democrat candidate for Totnes and former GP Sarah Wollaston said the situation in general practise would “make for a very difficult winter across the NHS”.
