Royal College of GPs say patients ‘should get 15-minute appointments’

A report by the Royal College of GPs has called for the length of appointments to be increased from 10 to 15 minutes, and asked that 11 per cent of NHS funding be assigned to general practice to tackle health inequalities.

The report stated that GPs were concerned that “workload pressures, rising patient demand and under-investment” were having a significant impact on both patients and doctors.

The report went on to say that nearly 40 per cent of family doctors in Scotland felt overwhelmed by their workload at least once each week.

Dr Carey Lunan, chairwoman of RCGP Scotland, said “Nearly 40% of GPs report that they feel so overwhelmed by their daily tasks that they feel they cannot cope at least once per week.

“A quarter also report that they are unlikely to be working in general practice in five years’ time.

“General practice is the backbone of a sustainable NHS. Our patients deserve better and it is time to renew general practice in Scotland.

“With an increase to 11% of the NHS budget, additional GP funding would flow to the areas of highest patient need.

“This will help to tackle to root causes of health inequalities, improve GP recruitment into areas of deprivation which traditionally struggle to attract GPs, and reduce pressure on vital hospital services.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, 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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