Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Doctor will see you.. for 9 mins 22s
longer consultations than Britain. The average appointment varied from just 48 seconds in Bangladesh to 22.5 minutes in Sweden. We see
waiting times. In some places, getting a GP appointment at all can be a substantial challenge.”
Dr Gary Marlow opposed the move. He said: “Should we choose to cap appointments at 25 what happens to that 26th patient? “Setting arbitrary caps will tie my hands to the detriment of my patients.” East London GP Dr Jacqui Appleby opposed the move but backed the call to stop signing up new patients.
She said: “General practice is in meltdown. We can’t go on as we are. “Last summer, 54% of GPS said they would be prepared to close lists to new registrations on the grounds of patient safety due to excessive
workloads. This would enable us to look after our existing population more safely.
“We would apologise but state it is because the Government has not listened when we repeatedly told them general practice is collapsing.”
The BMA voted for a “sensible cap” but gave no specific figure. It said: “No one wants to be seen by a GP who is so tired they are unable to guarantee their quality of care.
“It is imperative that we spell out what’s safe and what’s sustainable so that practices can put in place systems and processes to support and rebuild general practice for the sake of both doctors and patients.”
The caps could now be negotiated into GP contracts with the NHS.