{"id":3087,"date":"2024-03-01T13:03:53","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T13:03:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ealingsaveournhs.org.uk\/?p=3087"},"modified":"2024-05-17T19:36:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-17T19:36:06","slug":"access-to-our-gps-under-threat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ealingsaveournhs.org.uk\/?p=3087","title":{"rendered":"Access to our GPs is under threat!"},"content":{"rendered":"

GPs are very much in the spotlight at present and sadly not in a good way. Instead of a proper plan with funding to train up new GPs and retain the ones we have, the Government and NHS England are attempting to replace GPs as much as possible with lesser skilled \u2018health care professionals\u2019 such as \u2018Physician Associates\u2019, with only two years of medical training.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As you will read later health chiefs in NW London have come up with a dreadful new scheme called \u2018Same Day Access Hubs\u2019, mostly staffed by non-doctors, which are supposed to <\/span>replace same day appointments with our GP\u2019s<\/b> for most urgent care.<\/span><\/p>\n

On 9<\/b>th<\/b> March<\/b>, Ealing Save Our NHS will be joining campaigners across the country calling for our NHS to be restored and of course that includes proper funding for our GP services.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\n

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NEW HUBS WILL THREATEN GP – PATIENT RELATIONSHIP\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Doctors, patient groups and campaigners are all up in arms over NW London health bosses\u2019 plans to <\/span>remove same day emergency care from our GP practices<\/b>.\u00a0 Instead of seeing your GP, patients will be diverted to a \u2018Same Day Access Hub\u2019 mostly staffed by non \u2013 doctors. These plans are being <\/span>introduced without consultation<\/b> with local GPs, let alone the public.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how will it work?<\/b><\/p>\n

If you are feeling very unwell and ring your GP practice for a same day appointment an automated telephone system invites you to press option 1 and you will be transferred to the \u2018Same Day Hub\u2019. At the other end of the phone will be a \u2018Care Co-ordinator\u2019 (non – clinical),<\/span>who is part of a team which includes \u2018clinicians<\/strong>\u2019 such as\u00a0 Physician Associates (just two years training<\/strong>) and Advanced Nursing Practitioners, and probably <\/span>only one supervising doctor <\/b>(also called a ‘clinician’)<\/p>\n

The Care Co-ordinator will decide who you should speak to, supposedly with supervision from the GP, but also relying on computerised programmes, <\/span>a bit like NHS 111 or a Call Centre.<\/b><\/p>\n

If you are invited in for an appointment you may have to travel to an unfamiliar location to be seen by staff you don\u2019t know and who don\u2019t know your history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yo<\/b>u are only likely to have the option to speak to your GP if you have a \u201ccomplex long-term condition\u201d.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Only an estimated 7% of appointments will be with the supervising GP, all of the rest will be with other health care professionals \/ clinicians. <\/span>Clearly safe supervision in such a situation will be very difficult for the doctor!<\/b><\/p>\n

The new Hubs were due to be implemented on 1<\/b>st<\/b> April <\/b>but the widespread opposition has forced the ICB to say it will only roll it out from that date \u2013 <\/span>we want it dropped completely.<\/b><\/p>\n

Management Consultants apparently know better than Doctors!<\/b><\/p>\n

The NW London ICB would rather talk to management consultants than doctors it seems. Management consultants KPMG and Price Waterhouse Cooper were paid by the ICB to develop a primary care strategy and a \u2018more sustainable model of care\u2019 and now KPMG are to be paid to train GPs in setting up hubs \u2013 <\/span>nice<\/b> work if you can get it.<\/b>\u00a0 Shame they didn\u2019t work out a plan with GPs instead!<\/span><\/p>\n

GPs are united in opposing these plans<\/b>:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The BMA and the National Local Medical Committees, which represents GPs across England, have passed motions opposing the move to Hubs. NW London GP members of the Londonwide LMC have raised serious concerns with NW London ICB (the health bosses) and urged them to delay implementation until proper evaluation has taken place on the limited \u2018pilots\u2019. They have also urged the ICB not to impose the plans on GPs.<\/span><\/p>\n

The LMC believe that <\/span>patient safety could be at risk<\/b> if triage is carried out by people without the degree of medical competence needed, as provided by a GP; and where possible with the prior knowledge built up as part of the GP patient relationship. Without these serious, possibly life threatening illness could be missed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A patient may present with a request for sleeping pills, trouble with piles, or problems with hormone replacement therapy, and we may then have a complex consultation about traumatic bereavement, bowel cancer, or depression. <\/span><\/i>(Dr Helen Salisbury, British Medical Journal, 13 February 2024)\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can read Helen Salisbury\u2019s article <\/span>here<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

You can read more about the LMC concerns about the new HUBs <\/span>here<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

We have the lowest number of GPs per head in London<\/b> and leaving GPs with only the most complex and time consuming patients is not going to help job satisfaction and retention of GPs, let alone the damage it will do to the GP Patient relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some great campaigning has been taking place<\/b> especially by our sister campaign in Hammersmith & Fulham Save Our NHS, who have hit the national press<\/span> and many local media.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can read the stories in the Telegraph<\/a> and the BBC<\/a><\/p>\n

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION AND HELP US CAMPAIGN AGAINST THESE PLANS<\/b><\/p>\n