GP service ‘in crisis’
Doctors hit back at critics in letter calling for public support
HUNDREDS of GPs have signed an open letter to their patients, delivering a stark message about the crisis they are facing and appealing for support.
Family doctors, by laying bare the scale of workforce pressures, say they are determined to challenge the narrative that lazy GPs are closing their doors.
The letter, led by campaign group Rebuild General Practice, warns that a “fractured” system is buckling under surging demand, putting both patients and doctors at risk.
It reads: “We want to give great care, to meet you, to listen to you, and to look after you and your families. It may not feel this way right now, but all we can say is the truth.
“And the truth is – general practice is in crisis. Not because of us, or the staff who work with us. It is because of decades of underfunding and neglect, broken government promises and political contempt for you – our patients – that the system is fractured.”
In March, there were almost 30 million GP appointments in England, up from 24 million during the same month in 2019 and 2020.
The Government promised in 2019 to deliver 6,000 more GPs in England by 2024, but last year Health Secretary Sajid Javid admitted it was not on track to do so.
The number of fully qualified, full-time GPs has instead fallen and union leaders say the
‘Due to decades of neglect and political contempt, the system is fractured’
service is “haemorrhaging doctors”. More than 200 GPs had last night put their names to the letter, highlighting the strain caused by this combination of rising demand and insufficient resources.
It says staff now “see more patients each day than is safe for you or them” and some are suffering burn-out and mental health problems.
Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, a GP in Hertfordshire, said: “We’re devastated if you’ve ever felt let down by general practice. All we want to do is give you the care you deserve but there simply aren’t enough doctors.We need urgent Government action to rebuild.”
Family doctors have been criticised during the pandemic for a fall in faceto-face appointments.
The proportion of patients seen in person in March was 62 per cent compared with 80 per cent pre-Covid.
Dr Kieran Sharrock, of Rebuild General Practice, said the group understood concerns of older patients who may not want telephone appointments.
He said: “We want to – and do – offer face-to-face appointments to as many patients as need them.
“The stark reality is that the system prevents us from being able to provide the level of care our patients deserve and sometimes prevents us from being able to see every patient in-person, where the need isn’t critical. It is an awful position to be in.”
Dennis Reed, director of over-60s campaign group Silver Voices, said: “When patients can’t get a face-to-face appointment or have to wait to see their GP, it’s natural that we become frustrated.
“Frontline doctors have recognised our concerns but an extreme workforce crisis is preventing them from doing so.We are urging our members to throw their weight behind the doctors’ campaign.”
Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said historic underfunding and poor workforce planning impact doctors’ ability to provide good care.
He added: “There are more than 1,500 fewer fully-qualified, full-time equivalent GPs working in the NHS than in 2015.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are hugely grateful for the tireless work of GPs and their staff and are working closely with the NHS to support and grow the workforce, improve access and tackle the Covid backlog so everyone receives the care they need.
“There were over 18,200 more people working in general practice in March 2022 compared to March 2019, as well as 1,400 more full-time equivalent doctors, and a record-breaking number began training as GPs last year.”