GP SHORTAGE
Practices pushed to ‘breaking point’ as doctor numbers fall while demand rises
SURGERIES are at “breaking point” as GP numbers continue to fall while demand from an ageing and increasingly unwell population increases. There are now more than 600 fewer fully qualified GPs than when the Tories promised to increase numbers by 6,000 in England before the last election. NHS data shows numbers fell by 32 last month, meaning there are now 27,502 full-time equivalent GPs – down from 28,129 in December 2019.
Royal College of GPs chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne said: “General practice is pushed to breaking point. This workload isn’t sustainable, or even manageable. “The average number of patients per fully qualified GP continues to rise and is now 2,298, meaning each GP is on average responsible for 158 more patients than five years ago.
“There simply aren’t enough GPs to keep up with the need for our care, and of course this has a knock-on effect for patients.” GP teams delivered 30 million appointments last month – up almost a quarter on the same period prepandemic. But only four in 10 are now with a doctor, while professionals such as nurses and physios take on more slots.
The British Medical Association said yesterday 99% of GPs voted to reject changes to their payment contract, raising the prospect of strikes. It warned the contract would put practices at risk of closure as “many will struggle to stay financially viable”.
A Department of Health spokesman said: “It is disappointing the BMA have voted against the contract. It will reduce bureaucracy so GPs can spend more time with patients and give them greater autonomy to run local practices.”
There aren’t enough GPs to keep up with need for our care
PROF HAWTHORNE ROYAL COLLEGE OF GPS