‘Difficult’ ratio of GPS to patients amid shortage
DERBYSHIRE GPS’ representatives have admitted some practices have a “difficult” doctor-patient ratio, making it harder to deliver quality healthcare.
According to data from NHS Digital, there are 1,512 patients for every fulltime equivalent (FTE) GP employed at Derby and Derbyshire practices.
But in the 10 busiest surgeries, the figures are much higher. Royal Primary Care Chesterfield West had the highest number of patients per full-time employed (FTE) GP (5,896), followed by Killamarsh Medical Centre (5,379). A Derby practice, Pear Tree Medical Centre on Pear Tree Road, came 10th with 3,091.
The figures come as the British Medical Association warns that doctors across the country are seeing more patients than it is safe for them to do so.
Derbyshire GPS’ representatives conceded they need to recruit more doctors but say existing staff are working “incredibly hard”. Dr Ben Milton, medical director of the Derby and Derbyshire Local Medical Committee, said: “Our local GP members are well aware of the difficult ratio of GPS to patients in some practices. The issue does not help us as we work hard to build public trust and confidence in general practice, and staff work incredibly hard to answer calls, make appointments and deliver care. This data provides the hard facts for why we need to keep doing more to recruit and retain doctors in general practice. As each doctor becomes responsible for more patients, the harder it is to deliver quality care to those patients.
“Here in Derbyshire we are doing some really positive work with the CCG [clinical commissioning group] to improve staff retention, but we need national initiatives to effectively bolster the numbers of doctors in general practice. I would ask that the public work with us at this time and show understanding towards all practice staff when contacting practices..”
Clive Newman, director of GP Development at NHS Derby and Derbyshire CCG, said: “In Derby and Derbyshire, as in most parts of England, we have a shortage of GPS and this is down to a number of factors beyond the control of local commissioners and practices.
“The ratios vary between practices depending on many different factors, such as individual doctors retiring or moving, and the location and circumstances of each practice.”
“But we clearly need to attract more doctors into general practice, and to be able to retain them once they become experienced later in their careers.
“We are doing work on retention locally, in conjunction with the Local Medical Committee. This includes funding Primary Care Networks to carry out projects which will contribute to improving working conditions in general practice. Despite this, we have seen a significant increase in the number of same-day appointments compared to before the pandemic, which means more patients are getting care and advice more quickly.
“We are aware of public frustrations about getting to see a GP, despite offering more appointments than ever before, and this new data really underlines the problem we’re facing.”
Meanwhile, a “stocktake” commissioned by NHS England recommends new neighbourhood teams to improve access for patients. It called for a more streamlined system for the way people access NHS urgent care, bringing together online advice, community pharmacies, GP surgeries, out of hours, urgent treatment centres and NHS 111.
It said these “separate and siloed services” should be organised into a “single integrated urgent care pathway”.
The NHS England report said: “We need to enable primary care in every neighbourhood to create single urgent care teams and to offer their patients the care appropriate to them when they pop into their practice, contact the team or book an online appointment.”