Ten minutes ‘not enough time to see the doctor’

TEN-MINUTE appointments with GPs are “unfit for purpose” as doctors need more time to care for their patients, a leading medical body has warned.

The Royal College of GPs (RCGP) in Wales also claims the “extreme pressures” facing general practice must be addressed to allow GPs to spend longer with their patients.

Their call comes as part of the body’s community action plan to tackle the underlying reasons people seek appointments.

Three out of four GPs across the UK say they see between one and five people a day who have come in mainly because they are lonely.

Evidence shows that it can be as bad for patients’ health as chronic longterm conditions.

Loneliness puts people at a 50% increased risk of an early death compared to those with good social connections, and is as bad for health outcomes as obesity.

RCGP Wales has been calling for increased resources for practices which would allow more social prescribing – moving patients away from a more medical model to illness to address the underlying causes of illness.

Launching the community action plan, chairwoman Dr Rebecca Payne said: “GPs and their teams have a key role to play in identifying people who attend the surgery because they are chronically lonely or who are at risk of becoming lonely.

“All too often, GPs are the only human contact people have. These moments of connection matter. Treating patients means listening and understanding their concerns – but GPs need time to care. Ten minute GP appointments are unfit for purpose but the extreme pressures on general practice means it can be impossible for GPs to spend longer with patients.

“We need to address workload pressures to make longer appointments an option for patients across Wales.

“Ultimately, the development of community resources is essential.

“We know it can be hard for people to know where to turn for help.

“Where services are available, practices can work with social prescribers and Community Connectors to provide patients the support they need.

“We are launching our community action plan to help tackle problems such as loneliness and ensure GPs and their teams can provide the best possible care to lonely patients.”