GPS in crisis

GPs are the gatekeepers of the NHS. Everyone using the health service has to go through them to access care elsewhere in the system. The exceptions are emergency cases, who can go to A&E. Over the years, however, shortcomings in the primary care sector, not least the fact that it mostly shuts down in the evenings and at weekends, has led to A&E becoming the first port of call for patients unable to see a family doctor easily. This has put an intolerable strain on the emergency network, with long waiting times and a knock-on impact throughout the NHS.

The Government believes one way to address this is to publish data setting out how GPS manage their appointments. Since the pandemic, fewer patients than ever are seen in person. NHS England has now released statistics showing which surgeries perform best when it comes to face-toface sessions and keeping surgeries open. This has inevitably been seen as a “name and shame” exercise and yet the NHS says the statistics should not be taken that seriously. Although the aim is greater transparency, users are advised to “exhibit appropriate caution in drawing conclusions from comparing current appointment volumes with those recorded before the pandemic”.

What is the point of data that come with such a caveat and that, in any case, fail to empower the patient? Everyone knows how difficult it is to move practices – it’s not as easy as switching energy supplier. People want their surgeries to be open seven days a week in line with most of the rest of society, for appointments to be easy to obtain, and to see a doctor in person if necessary. Primary care is in a deep crisis. It will need more than statistics to alleviate it.