The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) has sent two books to MPs to highlight the crisis facing general practice.
A copy of ‘Why Can’t I See My GP?’ and ‘The NHS: The Story so Far’ have been sent to every member of the Health Select Committee, and to all MPs who are doctors.
We’ve also sent them a letter and our updated manifesto, which we believe will go a long way to easing the crisis in general practice.
The books have been written by Dr Ellen Welch, a GP and vice chair of DAUK.
GP crisis
Dr Welch said: “General practice has been in crisis for some time now. The primary care workforce is shrinking, with almost 2,000 fewer GPs than in 2015.
“Funding for general practices has decreased by 20 per cent in the past eight years while workloads have increased. We’re doing much more for much less.
“Our estates are crumbling, our IT systems are falling down. The list goes on.
“Despite this, an average 1.4 million GP appointments are delivered every working day.
“Imagine what we could do with proper investment in primary care.
GP crisis solutions
“Which is why DAUK aims to put the crisis facing general practice high on the political agenda and provide workable and sustainable solutions.”
It comes as Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced in the Daily Telegraph, plans for a mass expansion of GP services. The plans include training thousands more GPs, health visitors, and community nurses.
Dr Welch welcomed the focus on primary care but said it was ‘a national scandal’ that thousands of general practitioners are struggling to find work while the country is in a GP jobs crisis.
Dr Welch said: “We have trained and experienced GPs telling us they’re working in supermarkets, driving taxis, and even signing on universal credit because there aren’t any jobs for them.
GP funding
“From our own research, potentially there are around 3,500 full-time equivalent GPs available if the funding that’s been cut from practices over the past eight to 10 years is restored.
“It’s not a shortage of GPs, it’s a shortage of funding, and it would take just £35 per patient per year to solve.
Dr Steve Taylor, DAUK GP spokesperson, added: “NHS England has moved funding into other roles via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) at the expense of GPs. £100million has been invested in this scheme which has seen only 88 GPs employed.
“It would be used much more efficiently and effectively if general practices were free to use their budgets to meet the needs of their patients.”
ARRS staff
Dr Sarah Jacques, DAUK GP committee member, said “The use of ARRS staff was established to supposedly reduce the workload for GPs and improve patient care.
Unfortunately, most roles require supervision and have increased GP workload and fragmented patient care.
“The scheme is not cost efficient and not effective. The funding needs to go back into the core contract, so GPs can do what they do best by letting them provide holistic care with continuity.”
Dr Lizzie Toberty, DAUK’s GP lead, said ‘We have huge concerns about the increase in National Insurance employer contributions on GP practices, with many already at risk of closure due to financial constraints.
“GPs are the beating heart of the NHS and if more practices are forced to close it will be patients who ultimately suffer.”
Why Can’t I See My GP?
The book ‘Why Can’t I See My GP?’ walks readers through the state of general practice with passionate testimony from GPs who live and breathe the NHS.
It is full of personal accounts from GP leaders including Dr David Wrigley, the deputy chair of the BMA GP committee; Dr Lizzie Toberty, GP lead for DAUK; and Dr Paul Evans, GP and chair of Gateshead and North Tyneside LMC.
‘Why Can’t I See My GP?’ by Dr Welch is published by Calon/University of Wales Press. All royalties for the book are being donated to DAUK.
‘The NHS – The Story So Far’ is published by Pen & Sword Books and traces the history of our health service, from Victorian healthcare and the early 20th century, through a timeline of change to the current day.
Support our work by becoming a member or donating to our Go Fund Me.
DAUK’s 10-point manifesto for general practice:
- Invest £3 per month per head of population to achieve a return to real terms funding last seen in 2015. That’s the equivalent of the price of cup of coffee per month.
- Aim for ratios of patient to GP full-time equivalent of 1:1600 patients – and even lower in deprived areas – to reduce pressure ensure all patients have equitable access to GPs.
- GPs need jobs. We have unemployed and under employed GPs because practices don’t have the funds to employ them. Firstly invest, secondly develop meaningful careers for new GPs by supporting fellowships, educational funds and innovation such as the GP with extended role initiative.
- Provide long-term benefits to enable GPs to stay rooted in their community.
- Support partnerships with limited liability.
- Develop email and messaging capacity for practices to ensure no one needs to wait, and doctors can clearly see who is on the list.
- Relieve pressure on GPs by shortening secondary care waiting lists.
- No more NHS reform or reorganisation. Form a cross-party group to make longer term decisions for our health service and stabilise the NHS.
- Long term plan for estates. We need room for everyone, including any plan to expand places for healthcare students.
- Improve the IT infrastructure. GPs desperately need computers which don’t freeze and crash.
