UNDERFUNDED GPs
Sir, Your report “More patients go to A&E after ‘struggling to see GP’ ” (Apr 17) is a huge concern, confirming that the health of the nation is suffering as general practice is drowning. Our experience as frontline GPs is that demand is going through the roof. Compared with pre-pandemic levels, primary care — GPs and community services, rather than “secondary care” involving hospitals and specialists — is offering a million more appointments per week while carrying out 75 per cent of all Covid-19 vaccinations and the largest ever flu vaccination programme to date. The introduction of online consultations has made us more accessible than ever. However, general practice has been consistently underfunded over the past ten years. At present primary care accounts for 90 per cent of NHS patient contact time, but receives 10 per cent of the budget. GPs are burnt out and working beyond full capacity. Despite this, if we are clearly not meeting the needs of our population there must be an urgent review to find out why, and a national discussion on how we want to fund our health service.
Dr Ellen Welch
Dr Lizzie Toberty
Doctors’ Association UK

Read the letter here

Hear Dr Vinesh Patel’s interview with LBC, where he discussed the proposed vaccination programme and the primary care perspective.

The key things he highlights are: it is a really positive thing to be able to discuss a possible exit strategy from the pandemic. Primary care should be involved in the decision making given their expertise in giving vaccinations and immunisations, the appropriate resources and funding should be given to allow this programme to be a success, and that all GP practices should be supported in a way that will allow them to participate.

#PrimaryCareAlwaysThere

NHSE agreed information being released to the public at the same time as doctors is not acceptable and will make every effort to ensure this does not repeat. As part of their media campaign, they have advised patients to wait to be contacted about the vaccine and not to contact their surgery. We welcome this move.

DAUK raised a few further concerns:

1. Practices are worrying about financial liability. We have requested more vocal and contractual support financially for PCNs taking this risk, as well as appropriate media coverage to ensure those unable to will not suffer a backlash.
2. GPs are worried that routine work will suffer at the expense of the vaccine due to staffing issues. We have asked to know what the long term strategy for this is.
3. CCGs are pressurising practices in some area. We have asked NHSE to contact CCGs and remind them to be supportive.
4. DAUK asked for reassurance that no changes will be made unilaterally to the DES without prior discussion

Download and read our full Statement here: