HEALTH MATTERS
DR Paul Bowen, clinical chair of NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG, and GP with McIlvride Medical Practice, Poynton WHAT does £146 get you these days? Four months’ dog insurance, three months’ car insurance, two months of a comprehensive TV sports and film package?
It’s also the value of a full year of general practice care. Yes, your local NHS GP gets on average £146 per year from the taxpayer for 12 months of care. On average, a GP will see each patient six times per year (double the frequency from a decade ago), that’s £24 a visit.
And with this income, the GP must pay all their practice staff, maintain their premises, and provide all the services associated with running a modern GP practice.
In an age when it’s often said we know the cost of everything but the value of little, I feel we sometimes overlook the value of the local GP and their staff as the frontline of the NHS. GPs remain the first port of call for most people, dealing with more than 90 per cent of all NHS contacts. But with increasing demand and expectations, stretched resources and a nationwide recruitment and retention crisis, it is vital that our patients understand that this front line can only take so much strain.
What can we all do to ensure we support our GP services this winter?
• Coughs, colds and tummy upsets are very common and will usually last more than a week. Please see your pharmacist or go on NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk for more information.
• Stock up on a good first aid kit and order medication in good time.
• Consider a phone call with your GP rather than an appointment.
• You can now refer yourself directly to a physio, a counsellor and other practice staff. Speak to the receptionist to see if you are eligible.
Lastly, many of the experienced GPs it has been a pleasure for me to work with across Eastern Cheshire have retired over recent years. The pressures of the workload and growing expectations of the public and the NHS are often quoted as the main reason.
While it may be unrealistic to expect more investment in primary care, morale and retention can be strengthened by demonstrating your appreciation of your local practice – a complement is worth its weight in gold!