GP Survival acknowledges the results of today’s BMA Survey with great alarm but absolutely no surprise. The data collated from over 2800 Practices unmistakably illustrates the perilous situation facing General Practice in England.
We have been profoundly aware for some time of the overwhelming pressures that are critically damaging General Practice’s capacity to provide adequate care. In recent years, a rapidly diminishing workforce has found its workload exponentially increase, all within the context of the chronic, systematic underfunding of both Primary Care and the NHS as a whole.
This triple threat threatens to destabilise Primary Care to such an extent that 32% of practices today report to be in serious jeopardy. General Practice has seen its proportion of the NHS budget shrink from 11% to 8% whilst consultations haven risen by 340 million in five years. We reflect again on the recent Commonwealth Fund report, which found that UK GPs work under greater pressures than any of their Western counterparts.
For many GPs, Practice closure would represent a loss of business, career and livelihood. For patients the repercussions are just as painful. In the last year, over 200,000 have seen their surgery disappear. If today’s figures are extrapolated nationwide then over 800 more may face extinction.
The Government has repeatedly failed to heed or respond to this rapidly escalating state of emergency. Their unsubstantiated promise of 5000 new GPs in five years already appears laughable when considered against the year-on-year shortfall in applicants. Their amendments to the 2016/17 Contract represent nothing but superficial, ineffectual tinkering. Their dishonest, shambolic mishandling of the Junior Doctors’ contract has only served to intensify this perfect storm.
The Department of Health now have fewer than five months to offer a meaningful rescue package for General Practice, before we look to follow the route described at the LMC Conference toward definitive action.
We would urge our patients to support their practices and lobby their MP to prevent closures close to home. Ultimately, GPs will stand united to protect our patients from this Government’s wilful neglect.
For further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Dr Zoe Norris, Media Lead
campaigngpsurvival@gmail.com