DAUK’s GP committee has warned that millions of face-to-face appointments could be lost if the Government presses ahead with plans for a new online booking system. From Wednesday 1 October, patients will be able to make unlimited non-urgent consultation requests, medication queries, and admin enquiries online from 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. At the moment, practices can turn the online requests off. Dr Taylor said the proposals could overwhelm practises, forcing cuts to in-person care.
Face-to-face appointments
Speaking to GP Online, Dr Taylor said: “There is limited capacity of appointments and time, so with the increase in access requests this will have an effect on other parts of patient services. “This will include fewer face-to-face appointments, possibly waiting lists and fewer pre-booked appointments being offered.” Dr Taylor warned the policy could harm rather than improve patient care without investment in GP recruitment. “There are available GPs who are unemployed or underemployed,” he said. DAUK’s GP Committee has backed the BMA and the vote by GPs in England to enter into dispute with the Government over the changes. Read the article in full on GP Online. Meanwhile, members DAUK’s GP committee took to social media to counter comments by the Health Secretary Wes Streeting it was ‘absurd’ many patients can’t request appointments online.
Hair appointment
Mr Streeting said it was easier to get a hair appointment than a GP appointment. Dr Sarah Jacques, DAUK’s GP co-lead, commented on X, formerly known as Twitter, She said it was ‘strange’ to compare general practice to hairdressing. “I have to book a hairdresser 8 wks in advance,” she said. “There’s no squeezing me in for an emergency roots touch up if I need to look good for that pop-up family event when you know your mother-in-law is going to make some snide remark about your appearance!” Also posting on X, Dr Taylor said: “There are 102,000 hairdressers in England with 40,000 salons. 27,000 GPs with 6200 Surgeries. 31 million people visit GPs every month a similar number have haircuts “You can see the problem @wesstreeting.” DAUK committee members are all volunteers and campaign on issues facing frontline doctors in their own time. Please support our work by joining DAUK or donating to our GoFundMe.