Summer has arrived, the sun is shining, the World Cup has
some amazing football and the Tour de France is about to have its Grand Depart
in Yorkshire. This year is certainly racing past.
What has changed at the surgery? We have increasing
numbers of patients and increasing waiting times. You might think the two go hand in hand but
that would not be the whole picture.
NHS England estimates that some 340
million consultations are now undertaken every year, an increase of 40 million
since 2008.
The needs of patients visiting their GP practice have also changed.
In England 15 million people live with a chronic condition and more care for
patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and asthma, previously carried
out in hospital settings is now increasingly being provided at GP surgeries.
We are currently advertising for another doctor to work with us but like many GPs we are struggling to recruit. It is becoming harder to find locum cover so that patients can still be seen if a colleague is sick or absent. Both Dr Mustapha and I have had to cover sessions when we should have been on holiday or on study days because cover could not be found.
Premises are old (as you all know) and need investment to create more room for patients to be seen or simply to make them fit for purpose.
Please take a look at the British Medical Association’s campaign video “Your GP cares” which gives a little more detail on the issues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy4CVGlSDP8
