Charity says more needs to be done to relieve pressure on GPs
GPs spend almost a fifth (19 per cent) of their consultation time dealing with non-health issues, according toanew report out today (Tuesday 19 May 19, 2015).
Citizens Advice has estimated that £394million is spent annually on doctors consulting on non-medical matters in England.
Non-health concerns raised most with GPs focussed on personal relationship problems, housing and unemployment or work related issues – according to the study A very general practice.
Eighty per cent of GPs in England told the report this means they have less time to concentrate on other patients’ medical issues and almost half (46 per cent) said it increased costs to their practice and the NHS.
Citizens Advice says these issues can sometimes be linked to health conditions, but argues that in many cases GPs are not best placed to provide this kind of social support.
The report comes just months after the last Parliament’s public accounts committee released a report stating almost one million patients a year in England are seeking care at A&E because they are unable to get a GP appointment.
With 84 per cent of GPs telling the Citizens Advice study that they refer patients with non-health demands to advice agencies in the community, the report says opportunities are being missed to help people earlier and to free up GPs’ time.
Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:
“GPs are vital to communities but need to be free to do their jobs.
“It is crucial people can access help for social issues, but GPs do not always have to be the first port of call for this.
"Making more of the support services that are already available across the country could free up GPs, improve health access and help meet the efficiency savings the NHS has been tasked with finding.”
The report surveyed more than 800 doctors in England. The findings include:
- On average, GPs estimate that 19 per cent of their consultation time is taken up with non-health matters.
- 64 per cent of respondents said non-health queries from patients increase the stress of their job.
- 72 per cent of GPs said the proportion of time they have spent on non-health issues increased over the past year.