Staff shortages force thousands of patients to search for new GP

New figures show that GP workload pressures and staff shortages are leading to practice closures and patients having to find a new GP.

Figures obtained via Freedom of Information requests show that 61 practices have closed in England, Wales and Scotland since April 2013, and this has meant that over 160,000 patients have had to register at new practices.

These practice closures are increasing pressure on other GPs who are having to take on extra patients. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, said “There are many practices on the brink of collapse, while others are significantly reducing the level of services they can offer.

“There needs to be a national, proactive approach to support general practice to prevent this sort of issue occurring. Far too often it is a case of trying to make amends after the event.”

Following a GP recruitment drive by the NHS, new figures which are expected shortly will determine whether it has been a success.

A spokesperson from the Department of Health has said it was taking steps to deal with the situation, denying that the closures were a threat to the government’s plans for a seven day GP service. “People are never displaced. GP practices have been closing, opening and merging for a long time. When a practice closes, NHS England has a responsibility to make sure patients can still get services. We are planning to train 5,000 more GPs, invest the extra £8bn the NHS says it needs over the next five years and our plans for improving access to general practice are backed by £100m this year.

All this puts seven-day services for general practice firmly on track and we will set out our strategy for a new deal for GPs soon.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), Medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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