Family doctors made redundant by growth of online appointments and rival clinicians

GPS ARE being made redundant amid the rise of virtual appointments and an increase in other practice staff.

Patients in Surrey have been told that a “significant increase” in virtual appointments and online requests, and the use of other types of staff mean fewer family doctors are needed.

Glenlyn Medical Centre in East Molesey and Thames Ditton is making three GPS redundant after inviting all salaried family doctors to apply for voluntary redundancy.

The practice’s managing director said it had “identified a need to make some changes” to the team after a “number of recent improvements and the introduction of new ways of working”.

Joe Todd said the practice was “working differently” due to a “significant increase” in online requests and virtual appointments, based on patient preference. In an update sent to patients, the manager said: “These improvements, which are helping to increase access to our services and improve experiences and choice for our patients, coupled with the introduction of many new roles – including pharmacists, first contact practitioners for musculoskeletal conditions, advanced nursing and paramedic practitioners and paediatric nurses.”

He said many changes stemmed from an NHS primary care recovery plan published by last year. It promised to improve access to GP practices, and end the 8am scramble for an appointment.

Practices have recruited more than 31,000 frontline staff other than GPS since 2019, with an expansion in roles not traditionally part of GP practices.

Official figures show most appointments at a GP surgery no longer involve a family doctor, with thousands of paramedics and physician associates. The scheme has seen a doubling in the number of paramedics working in GP practices since March 2020, while physician associates rose by more than tenfold.

The health service is also training more than 7,500 GP receptionists to become “care navigators” to direct patients to different practice staff.

Dennis Reed from Silver Voices, a campaign group for the over 60s, said: “NHS England appears to be implementing a secret agenda of undermining the role of the GP and replacing them with cheaper ancillary staff.

GPS numbers fell, despite pledges to raise the workforce by 6,000, with just over 27,000 full-time GPS in post.

‘NHS England appears to be implementing a secret agenda to replace GPS with cheaper ancillary staff ’