Planned league tables will lead to ‘GP victimisation’
FORCING GPs to provide more face-toface appointments is “harassment, discrimination (and) victimisation”, the chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) Council has said.
Ministers announced a £250 million support package for GPs, which would include league tables showing how many in-person consultations were held.
Reports suggest the worst-performing practices will be “named and shamed” and denied access to the new fund.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the BMA’s council chair, said last week that if the general practices were employees, the treatment would amount to “harassment, discrimination, victimisation”.
“No other part of (the) NHS is subject to access league tables blaming them for workforce shortages, publicly shaming with patient feedback texts, (and) CQC [Care Quality Commission] hit squads blaming them for failing,” he tweeted.
He added that league tables will increase abuse faced by doctors.
“So publicly blame 20 per cent practices for poor access when they can’t fill GP vacancies, publish real-time feedback texts (and) bring in CQC to name/shame in front of their patients. This will increase abuse (and) risk safety of GPs/staff.”
GPs and staff have reported facing “daily” abuse from patients over access to in-person appointments.
Dr Prakash Kachhala, 37, said that a receptionist at his surgery in Nottinghamshire was in tears last week after being abused by a patient on the phone. “It’s daily and relentless,” Kachhala, who works at the Torkard Hill Medical Centre in Hucknall, said.
“Patients (are) frustrated, understandably about waits and Covid precautions, but blame the hardworking staff that are trying to hold up a system in crisis.
“(I’m) exhausted, numb, heartbroken, angry, tired.”
The Royal College of GPs said the new plan was not enough to tackle the crisis and at least 6,000 full-time doctors were needed to meet the workforce issues.