The GP system in England is facing a "catastrophe" because of cuts in funding, doctors' leaders are warning.
That is equivalent to a 7% cut in spending per patient, it says. The government said it was providing new funding to help under-pressure GPs, but Labour said the figures showed ministers' promises had not been kept. As GPs gather in Harrogate for the royal college's annual conference, its chairwoman Dr Clare Gerada said the cuts meant doctors were being required to do more work with fewer resources, damaging services for patients.
The warning comes in the week ministers said they wanted to extend GP surgeries' opening hours.
On Tuesday, the prime minister said he wanted more patients to be able to get help in the evenings and at weekends, as he set out details of a £50m pilot programme in nine areas of England to widen access. But the college said the analysis - based on official data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre - showed the government was taking money away from GPs despite claiming it wanted to move care away from hospitals.
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3 comments:
Its the same money being moved around as it has been for years with GPs and hospitals competing for it and not necessarily in the interests of the patient. I would advise everyone to read the minutes of their own CCG which should be available online. All these "initiatives" do is to muddy the waters because it takes time to evaluate them. I am sick of being told "what I want".
I remember being told that treating diabetics in the local practice rather than the hospital was what we all wanted. What we want is effective and appropriate treatment, I don't think anyone would disagree with that.
On the other hand many suffer from that well known disease Apathy. They will indeed put up with anything or anyone because, like many of the HPc’s they are just going through the motions. So being seen near to where you live and being seen quickly is their priority. They would rather see the Health care assistant in the local practice than travel a few miles to see a consultant. It must be this group who they poll. So the rest of us suffer.
As a long-term outpatient I have witnessed this in practice. Loudmouthed impatient people, many on there first visit upsetting the staff because they didn't understand the system and leading to a change in procedure where, many long term patients had their care downgraded in fact if not on paper to ensure shorter waiting times.
I am proud to say that I helped change this situation by a simple suggestion. It is extremely important for patients to be proactive when possible. I do stress when possible. Take care when filling in those comment forms. You may not be speaking in your own future best interests.
Kath
"What we want is effective and appropriate treatment, I don't think anyone would disagree with that."
Well I agree with you on that Kath
but "more work with fewer resources, damaging services for patients."
I also agree with that.
Where does that leave us? I'm honestly not sure. But patients, Doctors, Hospitals muddling through the best they can perhaps, which is not an entirely satisfactory situation.
Kay
Just juggling around the same amount of money but presenting it differently and changing how it is administered and generally messing people about is a good way of wasting money and leaving less for actual patient care.
The patient is the last consideration in all of this.
You are right Kay. It's the front line staff who bear the brunt - without having any say in the policy making. And the patients of course.
Kath
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