Practices cannot cope with waiting lists, says GP

A GP says practices cannot cope with the number of people who need medical help.

Dr Satpal Shekhawat, who has a practice in Kirton Lindsey, Lincolnshire, said waiting lists kept growing and GPs were struggling to handle the workload.

"The demand is rising year on year. We’re seeing it at our practice, but it’s across the board," he said.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said NHS staff had been "overworked for years" and it planned to hire an extra 1,000 GPs by the end of 2024.

Dr Shekhawat said duty doctor shifts were the "most challenging due to the severity and volume".

On one occasion, he said he saw 40 people during an 11-hour shift without a proper lunch break.

"There’s also all the behind-the-scenes work, like blood tests and hospital letters," he added.

His practice has limited the number of pre-booked appointments to 25 per day for each staff member, so they cannot be rushed. They have increased appointment times from 10 minutes to 15 minutes.

"That allows more quality discussion and decision-making with the patient," he said.

"You couldn’t do justice to them in 10 minutes. There’s no way to be as thorough as you want. That’s where you can miss things."

The surgery is also considering stopping work that they are not paid for by the government, like ear syringing.

He added: "Doing unpaid work takes time and money away from things we are paid for, and sadly we don’t have the resources."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, many GP practices across the country are stopping or reducing certain services as part of collective action.

Despite growing demand and financial stresses, there are some improvements to the service, like digital technology speeding up communication with patients.

Dr Shekhawat also said being a GP was "still as rewarding as ever".

"The job satisfaction is still there helping people in your community," he added.

A DHSC spokesperson said: "The NHS workforce has been overworked for years, with staff burnt out and demoralised.

"Fixing the NHS will take time, but our 10-Year Health Plan will build a health service fit for the future – with the right people, in the right places to deliver the care patients need.

"We will also hire an extra 1,000 GPs into the NHS by the end of this year, having already put an extra £311m funding into GP practices."

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