What if the doctor CAN’T see you now?
If you’ve had problems seeing your GP, you’re not alone. The pandemic has put extra strain on doctors’ surgeries, which means many of us have found it difficult to get face-to-face appointments
At the end of last year, health secretary Sajid Javid urged GPS to up the number of patients they were seeing in person rather than remotely (over the phone, online or via video link). Extra funding for GP practices was also announced, but made conditional on this happening. Figures showed that GPS were then carrying out almost two-thirds of appointments face-to-face, compared with around 80% before the pandemic.
Why are GPS under pressure?
Doctors point to an increased workload, delivering both Covid-19 booster and flu jabs on top of normal GP appointments and a chronic and ongoing shortage of GPS (the Government has promised an additional 6,000 GPS by 2024). There’s also the fact that patients have never had the right to demand face-to-face appointments just because they want them; it’s always been up to the GP’S clinical discretion.
Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners and a practising GP, says: ‘GPS become GPS to care for patients. The switch to largely remote consulting was based on government instructions for infection control purposes and to keep patients safe. General practice has been open throughout the pandemic and patients have been able to have face-to-face consultations where necessary.’ Professor Marshall also points out that some patients choose remote consultations over face-to-face ones. ‘GPS strive to deliver the same high-quality care whether a consultation is remote or in person,’ he says. ‘Some patients prefer remote consultations as they can be more convenient and fit around other commitments – and some people are more likely to access care when they need it remotely as opposed to going to a surgery, or feel more
GH ADVICE
If your doctor says they can diagnose without seeing you, it’s fine to ask why.
comfortable discussing certain aspects of their health this way.’
Effective digital triage (submitting symptoms online to your practice) can ensure patients get the most appropriate care. This may be a face-to-face appointment, but it may also be a referral to see a physiotherapist or another health professional, a minor illness consultation with a community pharmacist or having an electronic prescription delivered to your home or pharmacy. ‘It’s about making sure people get the best care for their needs, rather than the care they want,’ notes Beccy Baird, senior fellow in the health policy team at independent think tank The King’s Fund.
What if you can’t get a face-to-face appointment?
GH’S resident GP Dr Sarah Jarvis says: ‘GPS are every bit as worried as their patients about patient safety and will call you in for face-to-face consultations if they can’t confidently make a diagnosis without seeing you. If your GP says they don’t need to see you, but you think they should, ask them to explain why they feel confident that they can safely make a diagnosis.’ If you’re still unhappy, The Patients Association recommends speaking to a practice manager to discuss how your preference can be respected. If you need advice, call its free helpline on 0800 345 7115.
Can I see how my local GP practices are rated?
Go to gp-patient.co.uk, type in the name of your surgery, and see how it rates on key measures, including how easy patients found it to get through to the practice by phone, if their experience of making an appointment was good and if they were offered a choice of appointments. You can also visit nhs.uk and use its ‘Find a GP’ option to see ratings and reviews, and leave your own. When reading reviews, remember these are subjective and people are more prone to complain than praise! The Care Quality Commission also publishes inspection findings on GP services, which you can use to check and compare practices in your area. Talk to your practice if you feel your needs aren’t being met. If you want to change practice, draw up a shortlist and contact each one to find out if they’re accepting new patients, and their signing up processes.