Nearly three quarters of GPs say patient safety is being compromised by their workload, as concerns are raised over new reforms

New polling published today by the Royal College of GPs as its Annual Primary Care Conference kicks off in Newport reveals that 73% of GPs report that patient safety is being compromised by their workload pressures.

The same survey found 58% of GPs said they do not have enough time to adequately assess and treat patients during appointments, while 57% do not have time to build the relationships with patients they need to deliver quality care.

The College warns that these stark figures demonstrate the extent of the workload crisis in general practice – and that an increase in core GP funding will be vital to address this, as the government begins the roll out of its 10-Year Health Plan.

In her final Conference address to around 2,000 conference delegates this morning [Thursday 9 October], College Chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne will say “all around the country I meet GPs pushing themselves, day after day, to look after their patients in the face of ever-growing demand and an unsustainable lack of capacity.

“In our recent survey, 73% of members told us that patient safety is being compromised by workload pressures. Fewer than 30% said they had enough time during consultations to provide high quality patient care. And more than half reported that their own mental health had declined in the last year. It’s hard to find a GP who doesn’t feel they have to cut corners.”

The College’s survey also found significant concern amongst GPs over the new neighbourhood health services proposed in the 10-Year Health Plan, with 68% of respondents reporting worries over the lack of GPs to effectively deliver them, and the impact the introduction of neighbourhood health services would have on GP workload.

Specifically, GPs’ concerns around neighbourhood working include:

• 65% reported concerns over a lack of clarity on funding allocation  
• 65% reported a lack of clarity over the role of GPs 
• 57% are concerned about insufficient capacity and resources to support the implementation, transition and sustainability of the new model of care delivery; and 
• 48% are concerned about the lack of resources for GP leadership.

Prof Hawthorne will say: “Our survey shows that many of you are worried about the neighbourhood health services proposed in the 10-Year Health Plan – concerned about GP shortages, increased workload, unclear funding plans and the future of GP partnerships. I understand that apprehension completely. When your workload is like a river that never stops flowing, no matter how hard you work, no matter how many hours you put in, it is difficult to have the mental capacity even to think about long-term strategy.

“And many who do grapple with it say they are caught between hope and scepticism. They are hopeful because the aspirations in the 10-Year Health Plan make sense. They are sceptical because they have heard similar hopes expressed before.”

The RCGP has been supportive of the aspirations in the 10-Year Plan – the shifts from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and treatment to prevention – but has been clear that it will only work if the resources follow any shift in workload, and if GPs are involved in the decision-making process around its delivery.

Professor Hawthorne will continue, “government rhetoric has too often been about moving care out of hospital and into the community while the funding has gone in the opposite direction.”

To tackle help tackle these resource concerns, the College is calling for a sustained increase in core funding for general practice, in particular a Primary Care Investment Standard that mandates yearly funding increases.

In her speech, Professor Hawthorne will say, “if GPs are to provide expanded services to patients as part of the new Neighbourhood Health Service model, it’s a no-brainer that we will need many more family doctors.”

She will call for confirmation of the promised ‘thousands’ more GPs, including more detail as to how the government plans to deliver them, in the forthcoming 10-Year Workforce Plan, as well as ring-fenced funding for practices to recruit the GPs they need. She will also reiterate long-standing College calls for further initiatives to retain qualified and experienced GPs in the profession.

She will say, “it is such a waste to lose experienced GPs and I have been explaining this to government for the last three years. At least now I’m told they understand the issue, but I still haven’t seen enough movement to redress our retention crisis.”

Whilst acknowledging the reservations and concerns of members, Professor Hawthorne will restate the College’s support for 10-Year Health Plan, saying: “I truly believe that if we can get the new neighbourhood services right, working closely with GP partnership-based surgeries, we will be better able to meet the needs of our ageing and multi-morbid patients. As GPs, we could have the job satisfaction of continuity of care, of working alongside our patients, and an opportunity to offer new services to meet the varied needs of our patients.”

She will say, “We all know that good intentions alone won’t deliver good outcomes and that a great vision doesn’t guarantee a great NHS. However, without good intentions and without a vision, we have no hope. And a vision which favours community health care above hospitalisation and champions prevention above sickness is one I can certainly buy into.”

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editors

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.