GPS: WE CAN’T TAKE ANY MORE

WITH a staffing crisis caused by Tory cuts and an aging population to contend with, GPS have warned they are at breaking point and fear their patients are being put at risk.

And family doctors are under so much pressure they yesterday voted to cap the number of daily appointments and called for a halt to any new registrations until proper funding is delivered.

The British Medical Association agreed to the move for the “sanity” of GPS, who treat up to 70 people a day. Some doctors called for a cap of 25.

But patients groups warned it would result in much longer waits for appointments and bigger A&E queues.

Dr Satish Narang, who proposed the motion, branded the situation “insane”.

He told delegates at the BMA’S annual conference in Brighton: “The day has limited hours and only so much can be managed without compromising safety.

“If forced to take on more and more work without additional funding, workforce and resources, the quality of work will be compromised and unsafe in the case of patient care.

“It will drive the contractors insane, morale will become so poor that he will quit or become insolvent. No wonder GPS are leaving in droves.”

Delegates heard how doctors are “drowning” under the vast workload.

The European Union of General Practitioners has said 25 appointments a day is a safe maximum.

Dr Mary Mccarthy told the conference: “I think this should be viewed like a speed limit.

“That there are occasions when you break it, there are obviously flu epidemics