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\u201cIt can only be used for other patient care roles, such as pharmacists or physios, which is great and they definitely play a part in primary care, but we have GPs coming through the system, they\u2019re trained up, they want to work, and they can\u2019t get jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have patients who want to see GPs but they haven\u2019t got that choice anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said that allied healthcare professionals had an important part to play in Primary Care, but that GPs \u2018trained for much longer and have that depth and breadth to see the person as a whole\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs people get older they\u2019re going to have more health conditions and that then does cause more complexity,\u201d Dr Shire said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHealthcare professionals who aren\u2019t medically trained perhaps won\u2019t be able to look at that as a whole and understand the depth of what might be going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s having that picture as a whole and making sure people are seen by the right person, and a GP is able to look at that in one go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf people see a physician, that costs less than seeing a non-physician such as a patient care role that isn\u2019t a GP or a nurse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the NHS broken?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Asked by Vanessa Feltz whether the NHS was ‘disintegrating’, Dr Shire said: \u201cWe\u2019re worried it might be broken. It\u2019s definitely not doing well at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPeople are becoming more unwell. We have more people needing care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we can get people the healthcare they need earlier, we can get them back on their feet and working again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Shire added: \u201cI think a lot of GPs and a lot of doctors are starting to feel demoralised and dispirited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou train to become a doctor because you want to help people, you know what that person needs and you can\u2019t give them that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat is really hard and I think we\u2019re seeing more and more GPs burning out and struggling themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe services that support GPs and doctors with their mental health are struggling because we\u2019re struggling ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut we keep going back because you want to do what you can and you want to do your best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you can\u2019t do that, it doesn\u2019t feel very nice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Become a DAUK member and support our work.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n DAUK is holding a briefing for prospective MPs on Wednesday 19 June to discuss the crisis in general practice and things that could be done to tackle it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The briefing, Why Can\u2019t I See My GP? The Great British Paradox<\/a>, is based on the book Why Can\u2019t I See My GP?<\/a>, a copy of which DAUK sent to all 650 MPs in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The briefing will be held members of DAUK\u2019s GP committee, including its chair Dr Lizzie Toberty, past DAUK co-chair Dr Ellen Welch, and members Dr Steve Taylor and Dr Sarah Jacques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DAUK is asking people to invite the candidates standing in their constituency to attend the briefing. Find out the candidates in your constituency at https:\/\/whocanivotefor.co.uk\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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