19 March 2007
RCGP statement in response to the
Healthcare Commission report on imaging services in acute and
specialist trusts. Professor Mayur Lakhani, Chair of the Royal
College of General Practitioners and a practising GP in Leicester,
says:
“This report demonstrates the
disparity of x-ray reporting across the country. While the practice
in some areas is excellent, GPs and patients are also facing waits
of up to 12 days for results to be despatched, causing unnecessary
anxiety for patients and bottlenecks in the system.
“This is totally unacceptable in a
modern NHS. In this age of technology and e-mailing, the transfer
of information has never been easier and x-ray departments must be
held to account.
“We welcome attempts to make
diagnostics a priority. A big push is needed to eliminate queues
and bring diagnostics into the community, under the influence
of GPs.
“The RCGP and Royal College of
Radiologists (RCR) have carried out important work in this area,
calling for closer links between GPs and radiologists and our
recommendations should be implemented as a matter of urgency.”
Ends
Press contact: Lorna Fletcher, RCGP
Press Office, 020 7344 3136 or email press@rcgp.org.uk