There is a lot of focus on the NHS. Rightly so. Ambulance waiting times are rising. Waiting lists are stretching. Nurses will be striking (although I hope this is resolved).
But all this focus tends to be on acute services. Hospitals are, of course, the shiny beacon of the NHS. But we forget that for majority of us, our local GP surgeries are where most of us access the NHS, most of the time.
We are lucky, here in Wyre Forest. We have three new surgeries built in our three main towns in the last few years. But more importantly, we have a progressive approach to primary services: The Wyre Forest Health Partnership.
This brings together a number of our local surgeries. In the old model, you signed up to a local GP and that was that. With the WFHP, although you sign up to a local GP, you can access specialisations across the district’s member partnership, offering a wider range of GP lead services.
This is good for the patient, good for the NHS. But our GPs are under increasing pressure. The good news is that the NHS is successful – we are living longer. But with age comes more ailments and more demand on social care. And this pressure bears down on our GPs – our primary care services.
I met recently with a group of GPs, all part of the WFHP. Although I had been aware that they were busy, I hadn’t appreciated just how busy. A typical GP partner will take 61 consultations every day. They have to find time for admin, and to support the 111 call service.
Telephone calls to the surgeries has increased significantly. Back in April 2020, the busiest surgery took around 12,000 calls a day; now it is around 20,000. Even the quietest has seen a 50% hike in calls in the last couple of years.
All this leads to a spiral of stress for GPs and a tough recruitment environment. Poor planning for pensions (by the Department for Health) leads to problems close to retirement – easily resolvable.
Yet we all value our local family doctor. Earlier this year, the Health and Social Care Select Committee recognised that general practice should be the jewel in the crown of the NHS, and for doctors to be allowed a cradle to grave relationship with patients.
GPs do an incredible job. I’m certainly going to spend a lot more time supporting them.