MP: Patients must be able to see GPS when required

A STAFFORDSHIRE MP has revealed that a “very small, but increasing” number of constituents have contacted him because they are unhappy about not being able to get face-to-face appointments with the GP.

Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant, who represents people in Alrewas and Barton-under-needwood, said: ““While it is often more convenient for both patients and their GPS to have a consultation by phone saving time for both parties, this is not always appropriate.

“I have also received complaints from consultants who are being referred patients by GPS who have not properly examined their patients. The consequence is that consultants are seeing the ‘worried well’ which causes knock-on delays for those who really do need treatment.”

While in the United States last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said patients should have “the security and confidence that they will be treated in person by a GP who can have proper hands-on understanding of the problem they have got”.

Mr Fabricant went on: “Of course I know that most GPS are under considerable time pressures. As a Member of Parliament, I cannot instruct individual GPS on how to conduct themselves in their own clinical practice and nor should I.

However, I have now taken up this general issue with ministers at the Department of Health making it plain that steps must be taken to enable patients to see their GPS for face to face consultations when this is required. I fear that a small minority of GPS in the UK are taking advantage of the changes put in place during the height of the Covid pandemic to maintain distance working when this is not always clinically appropriate.”