By the way... Treatment by phone is a waste of time

RECENT research has shown that the Government’s decision to encourage GPs to have more telephone consultations does not reduce the workload on doctors, and does not save costs. This comes as no surprise to me.

I parted company with the NHS some years ago and I have been working in anindependent practice since then.

From the start we permitted telephone consultations in the hope that it would appeal to patients as a way of saving time and money, in a world where both commodities were fast becoming limited. Our experience has been that we made a stick for our own backs.

As a doctor you learn so much more about a person when you see them face to face, just from their appearance and general demeanour. The chance of making the wrong diagnosis is far higher when there is no chance of conducting a physical examination.

Besides, if tests are needed the patient still has to attend to provide a sample or undergo a blood test — doubling the time spent, rather than saving it.

I also have a sense that patients are more likely to request a consultation when it can be done by telephone: take an example from last week when I wrote to a patient to give her the result of a bone density scan.

I explained in the letter that her result was normal for a woman of 53, and no action was needed. Despite this, there came a request for a telephone consultation. The patient wanted to know what she should do to keep her bone health up — a fair question, but one which resulted in a lengthy tutorial over the phone, for someone who does not have a problem.

The only positive thought I can offer is that telephone consulting does at least enable a doctor or nurse to call through the results of tests, rather than sending them in a letter.

This is good for morale and for pastoral support and goodwill, saving the patient some time, and keeping a consultation slot free for someone who is sick.

But telephones for diagnosis and treatment? Generally second best.

Do the politicians ever think about things before they make rash promises?