Covid-19: GPs expect 'very tough few weeks' amid staff shortages

GP services across Northern Ireland are facing "a very tough few weeks" amid staff shortages due to Covid-19, the chair of the British Medical Association has said.

Dr Alan Stout said out-of-hours services were under pressure when practices closed over Christmas.

They received lots of phone calls and patients experienced call-back delays.

Many practices reopened on Wednesday "and are now also extremely busy" as doctors respond to calls, he said.

It is hoped the reopening of services will alleviate some pressure and reduce waiting times for call backs.

The Department of Health told BBC News NI that GP practices are currently carrying out more than 210,000 consultations per week, with 45% of these face to face consultations.

The department made up to £5.5m available to support GP services in Northern Ireland over winter.

It allocated £3.8m to support additional patient care during this time and up to £1.7m to further improve telephone and computer technology.

Dr Stout added that there will be additional pressure due to the "increasing spread of Covid and the need for practice staff either being ill themselves or having to isolate".

"We also see the impact of very long waits for other services," he said.

"The next few weeks are going to be very tough both in general practice and in hospitals."

Dr Laurence Dorman of the Royal College of GPs said all healthcare services across Northern Ireland, including out of hours, are exceptionally busy.

He said it is due to the "huge demand and ongoing pressures relating to Covid-19 and the delivery of the booster campaign".

"We would urge the public to be patient as GP colleagues prioritise the most urgent clinical need," he said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said "GP practices are open and will continue to provide both face-to-face appointments and alternative consultation options for patients as appropriate".

"General practice has played an important role in the battle to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically in the successful delivery of the vaccination programme and the work undertaken in establishing primary care Covid-19 centres, which protected our health and social care system from being overwhelmed."

They said the department holds regular meetings with all of the main stakeholder and professional bodies, including the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of GPs.

"Both organisations recently took part in a stakeholder engagement meeting involving the health minister, the Royal Colleges, trades unions, HSC trusts and the HSC Board.

"The discussion centred on current pressures in the health system and ways to build resilience over the winter months."