GP rescue package fails with potential consequences for patients

Official figures published by NHS Digital show that the number of GPs has fallen since the NHS launched a ‘rescue package’ to tackle the crisis of a shortage of family doctors.

Despite the repeated pledge by Ministers to increase the levels of GPs by 5,000 there are record numbers of practice closures across the country.

A year ago, health officials drew up a five-year plan, pledging to put general practice “back on its feet” by recruiting doctors from abroad, offering £20,000 incentives for trainees and bringing in extra support staff. The initiative, boosting funding by £2.4bn per year by 2020, came amid concern about lengthening waiting times, and a shortfall of GPs across the country. But the new figures show a drop of 542 GPs since the plan was published last April. The total number of (full time equivalent) GPs dropped from 34,914 in March 2016 to 34,372 in March 2017.

More than 250,000 patients have been “displaced” by surgery closures in the last year which represents a five-fold rise since 2013 and the number of patients waiting at least a week for an appointment has risen from 13.8% to 19.3% in three years.

Last month figures showed record numbers of GP practices closing, following a rise in the number of doctors retiring early ahead of a tax clampdown on pension pots. A recent survey also found a six-fold rise in vacancies for family doctors since 2011, with one in eight positions now vacant.Dr Krishna Kasaraneni, from the British Medical Association, said: “These figures demonstrate the failure of politicians to uphold their pledges to deliver the GPs necessary to provide the number of appointments and sustainable service that patients deserve.”

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: “Workload in general practice is soaring – 16% over the last seven years, according to the latest research – yet our workforce has not risen in step, and is now actually reducing.”

Amanda Cavanagh, a medical negligence specialist at Ashtons Legal, says: “Is it too early to consider the “Rescue Plan” a failure? Perhaps, this is after all year one of a five year plan. However, the figures above are concerning. The NHS needs to be looked at as a whole. The different agencies are all interconnected and if one fails it creates a domino effect which negatively impacts upon those other services and indeed patient care. Less staff and more pressure does unfortunately lead to mistakes which can be in some circumstances be catastrophic for the patients and their families”.