Patients struggle to see doctors despite NHS being ‘open’

THE NHS’S digital-first approach to GP surgeries has failed to make up for a shortfall in appointments, new data shows, with millions fewer patients being seen by doctors every month.

Analysis by The Daily Telegraph has revealed GP appointments carried out over the phone or via video more than doubled from January to August, rising from 2.5 million to 5.8 million.

But despite that increase, around a million fewer patients have been seen by their GP each month compared with last year, according to NHS Digital.

In May, 3.5 million fewer patients attended GP appointments, nearly 800,000 fewer in June and 1.6 million fewer in July. By August, just 9.8 million patients saw their GP compared with 10.8 million last year.

In March, Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, told MPS the NHS would take a “digital-first approach” to primary care and urged patients to consult their GPS via the phone or video calls.

This week, Mr Hancock, Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer, and Amanda Pritchard, chief operating officer at NHS England, all stated that the NHS is open for patients. However, the data shows face-to-face appointments remain well below normal levels.

The number of patients seeing their doctor in person dropped to just 2.7 million in April, down from 10 million in January. Patients have told The Daily Telegraph that they continue to struggle to secure GP appointments, both virtually and in person.

Aletta Welensky, from Hampshire, was told she needed to wait up to a week for her online account to be verified before she could book an appointment, despite being registered with her practice for 18 years

“The NHS doesn’t feel very open,” she said. “It feels like they’ve put up a lot of barriers to accessing treatment or consultations.”

Dr Mike Smith, a GP from Hertfordshire, said that despite doctors working “flat out” during the pandemic, the system “is not working for patients”. He said: “If I go to my own GP website there are no appointments. I’m expected to join a phone queue, wait half an hour, join a call list.”

Writing for The Telegraph online, Theresa Villiers MP, said the figures revealed by this newspaper were “worrying”.

“We need clear principles in place to ensure that those who want and need to meet their family doctor face-to-face are still able to do so,” she said.

Dan Jarvis, Labour MP for Barnsley Central, said patients were “waiting longer than ever” for an appointment even before the pandemic, but recently constituents said they were “struggling” to see their GP face-to-face.

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said there was now “abundant evidence” that access to healthcare services has been problematic over the past six months.

Age UK reported that some older people who have struggled to get through “have just given up as a result”.

An NHS spokesman claimed more than 20 million appointments were booked in August, though not necessarily attended, however this figure is still around two million fewer than the same month last year.

“The new Help Us Help You campaign emphasises that anyone who needs care should contact their local practice,” the spokesman added