GP workload is damaging care

9 April 2015

If it wasn’t already painfully clear that cuts and privatisation has left the NHS in crisis, a British Medical Association (BMA) poll shows that GPs are buckling under pressure.

The poll of more than 15,500 GPS working in the UK found that 93 percent believe that their heavy workloads are having a detrimental affect on quality of care, with 37 percent describing the situation as unmanageable. Only one in ten believed that the 10-minute consultation slots are adequate.

The survey found that GPs overwhelmingly believe the NHS needs greater funding. 76 percent said NHS spending should be increased, with 74 percent calling for more GPs to be employed.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the BMA GP committee said; ”GPs want to provide better services and spend more time with their patients, especially the increasing number of older people who often have a range of multiple health needs that require intensive, co-ordinated care.

“Many GPs do not feel they have enough time to spend with their patients and that these intense pressures are beginning to damage local services.”

On Tuesday (April 7) NHS England published figures showing that A&E waiting time targets haven’t been met for 26 weeks – half a year. UNISON Head of Health Christina McAnea said; “Week in week out, for half a year now, the waiting times target has been missed.

“It’s bad enough that some sick and injured people were having to wait for more than four hours in the depths of winter – a time when demand on the NHS was at its peak. But for that still to be the case now that spring is here shows just how stretched A&E departments have become.

“Sadly this is where we are after five years of Tory mismanagement of the health service. The NHS, its patients and its staff need and deserve better.”