More than 1,500 patients for every GP in Derbyshire

NEW figures outlining how many doctors are employed at Derbyshire surgeries per patient have revealed that there were more than 1,500 patients for every one GP in the city and county in March 2022.

The data, published by NHS Digital, shows that there were 1,512 patients for every full-time equivalent (FTE) GP employed at Derby and Derbyshire practices.

Although nursing staff can also attend to patients, depending on the nature of their health issue, the statistics show that at some surgeries as many as 15,000 patients were treated by a full-time GP.

The figures list 106 surgeries in Derbyshire, with Lister House in St Thomas Road in Derby receiving the most patients (29,297) in March. Blackwell Medical Centre, Alfreton, received the fewest (2,772) that month.

Royal Primary Care Chesterfield West had the most patients per fulltime employed GP (5,896).

This comes after a warning by the British Medical Association that doctors across the country are seeing more patients than it is safe for them to do so. Derbyshire’s figure, however, is lower than that seen nationally (2,200).

Derbyshire doctors’ representatives conceded they need to recruit more GPS but said existing staff are working “incredibly hard”.

Dr Ben Milton, medical director of the Derby and Derbyshire Local Medical Committee, said: “Our local GP members are well aware of the difficult ratio of GPS to patients in some practices. The issue does not help us as we work hard to build public trust and confidence in general practice, and staff work incredibly hard to answer calls, make appointments and deliver care.

“This data provides the hard facts for why we need to keep doing more to recruit and retain doctors in general practice. As each doctor becomes responsible for more patients, the harder it is to deliver quality care to those patients.

“Here in Derby and Derbyshire we are doing some really positive work with the CCG to improve staff retention, but we need national initiatives to effectively bolster the numbers of doctors in general practice.

“I would ask that the public work with us at this time and show understanding, towards all practice staff when contacting practices. The whole team are trained to direct patients to most appropriate care, and they do this difficult job with great professionalism and skill.”

Clive Newman, director of GP Development at NHS Derby and Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “In Derby and Derbyshire, as in most parts of England, we have a shortage of GPS and this is down to a number of factors beyond the control of local commissioners and practices.

“The ratios vary between practices depending on many different factors, such as individual doctors retiring or moving, and the location and circumstances of each practice.

“But we clearly need to attract more doctors into general practice, and to be able to retain them once they become experienced later in their careers.

“We are doing work on retention locally, in conjunction with the Local Medical Committee. This includes funding Primary Care Networks to carry out projects which will contribute to improving working conditions in general practice.

“Despite this, we have seen a significant increase in the number of same-day appointments compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic, which means more patients are getting care and advice more quickly. This is part of a move to a model of care in which provide more sameday appointments by telephone and then see patients face-to-face when clinically necessary.

“We are aware of public frustrations about getting to see a GP, despite offering more appointments than ever before.”