GPS demand a cap on number of patients seen in a single day

GPS “will go insane” unless limits are imposed on the number of patients they see each day, medics claim.

The British Medical Association called for a cap on the number of patients, with doctors pointing to the system in Sweden, where GPS see 13 patients in a typical day.

Some GPS said they often had 70 consultations in a single day – and this could not be safe for them or their patients.

Dr Satish Narang, from Gwent and South Powys, told a BMA conference in Brighton that GPS would “go insane, quit and become insolvent” if limits were not introduced.

“For the sake of quality and safety of patient care and the sanity of its troops, we urge the BMA to take a fresh approach by defining and agreeing what is a safe workload,” he said.

Previous research has found a doctor sees on average 41 patients each day.

But capping consultations would mean soaring waiting times – presently two weeks – an increase of three days since 2015. Seeing just 13 patients a day would see waiting lists grow to six weeks, while a cap of 25 patients a day would mean waits of up to three weeks.

“In Sweden, GPS see 13 patients in a day, with half-hourly appointments,” said Dr Narang. “The day has limited hours and only so much can be managed without compromising safety.” Other delegates suggested 25 a day. The BMA said the motion did not set a precise figure or a timeline for introduction, adding that limits on workload depended upon “the unique circumstances of each practice”.