Who will pay for our GPs to be open all hours?
I HAVE been a GP for 30 years and voted against the 2004 contract — allowing GPs to opt out of evening and weekend work — because I felt we would lose our independence. It has been reported that some GPs are carrying out up to 70 consultations a day (Mail). I see about 30, even in so-called quiet times — the workload varies minimally throughout the year. I am surprised at the suggestion that to deal with the number of patients, surgeries shouldn’t close for an afternoon or a day during the week and should be open at the weekends. If a GP is working according to his contract, then like every other worker in Britain, he or she is due time out. The European Working Time Directive limits how many hours in the day doctors are allowed to work. If GPs are to be available in the evenings and at weekends, surely this means a cut in appointments during normal working hours. If you want an open-all-hours service, then someone will have to pay for it and more GPs will need to be trained and retained. Retention of GPs nearing retirement is a major problem. Also, young doctors are not attracted to general practice due to workload pressures and conditions. GP pay is often highlighted as being inflated, and the attitude is that the profession should just get on with their job. But job satisfaction is more important than salary. Perhaps there should be more support for GPs, rather than trying to twist each new problem to put the blame on doctors. Pay a visit to the developing world and you will discover the NHS golden egg is general practice, and there is a danger that the goose that lays it is being slowly strangled. Dr R. H. GIVAN, Ballymena, Co. Antrim.