GPs seeing 'unsafe number of patients per day'

GPs say a lack of funding is putting practices at risk

Some GPs are carrying out an "unsustainable" number of consultations, seeing up to 70 patients in a single day, it has been claimed.

This is more than double the number deemed "safe" by the European Union of General Practitioners, which sets a maximum level of 25 patients per day.

The Consortium of Lancashire and Cumbria Local Medical Committees (LMCs) revealed the figure at the end of a week in which GPs nationwide began an indefinite work-to-rule over funding for their practices.

Faye Tomlinson of the Consortium of LMCs said the demand on GPs was "huge now" and it was "not sustainable at all".

'Demand is huge'

NHS England has warned the action could cause significant disruption beyond just GP services.

Ms Tomlinson, chief operating officer of Consortium of LMCs, said prior to the work-to-rule beginning some Lancashire GPs were seeing more than double the safe number of patients in a shift.

"The demand is huge now – we’re hearing of GPs seeing 60 to 70 patients a day, which is not sustainable at all.

She said limiting the number to 25 would mean patients get "better, safer clinical time with a GP".

She said it would not deprive patients of the care they need and advised people "not to worry about phoning" their surgery if they were unwell.

"GPs are still wanting to see you. If [those choosing to cap daily patient numbers] reach that level, you will be diverted to out-of-hours [services], urgent treatment centres or 111 – so you will still be seen in a healthcare setting."

Faye Tomlinson of the Consortium of LMCs says there aren’t enough GPs in the system

A Consortium of LMCs survey earlier this year found more than half of the 193 GP practices in Lancashire and South Cumbria were at risk of closure within the next two years because of budget pressures.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting said in a letter to GPs on Thursday that general practice had been "neglected for too long", adding he wanted to "reset the relationship" between local doctors and the government.

It came as he announced a move to recruit 1,000 newly-qualified GPs by taking an emergency measure which allows them to be funded through a pot previously reserved for recruiting "additional roles" into GP surgeries, such as physician associates, nurse practitioners and clinical pharmacists.

The government has also accepted the recommendation of the pay review bodies, meaning the wages of partner and salaried GPs will increase by 6%.

That rise is separate to the 1.9% increase in funding for practice running costs which prompted the current work-to-rule.