Family doctors are ‘firefighting’ in the face of rising demand and long-term underfunding, says DAUK’s GP co-lead.
Dr Steve Taylor was speaking to GP Online on the findings of the latest Health Survey for England.
GP Online reported that the survey reveals rising pressure on general practice as a growing proportion of the population lives with poor health and long-term illness.
He said: “The lack of investment in health has created this.
“We are reaping what we sowed over 15 years of austerity.
“There’s also an element of an ageing population, more long-term issues because of the huge waiting list, more people who are ill and overstretched GPs with not enough time to spend on prevention, so the problems increase again.”
DAUK in the media
Read the GP Online article on what the Health Survey for England shows about pressure on GPs.
Meanwhile, Dr Taylor spoke to Pulse on a survey by United Medical Associate Professionals (UMAPs).
The survey found that 76% of PAs said their scope of practice has been restricted since the publication of the Leng review.
Dr Taylor said: ‘I would say their scope has been reduced rightly, because I think there was significant risk for patients with somebody that’s had such limited training to be seeing undifferentiated patients.”
Read the Pulse article in full.
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