NHS (England) reminder about face-to-face appointments angers GPs

[Northerner]

NHS bosses have sent a letter to GPs to remind them to offer face-to-face appointments where necessary, sparking an angry response from professional bodies who say such comments risk insulting hard-working doctors.

In March, GPs were urged to move to remote consultations where possible in a bid to reduce the spread of Covid-19. The result was a surge in the number of appointments conducted at a distance: in May alone, 48% of GP appointments were carried out over the phone.

Now NHS England has written to GP practices reminding them they must make sure patients are aware face-to-face appointments are available, where clinically appropriate, and warning practices they face investigation by local commissioners if they fail to offer such appointments where needed.

NHS reminder about face-to-face appointments angers GPs

Comments risk insulting hard-working doctors already making sure face-to-face appointments take place, representatives say

www.theguardian.com

 

[grovesy]

I have decided this more Hanock , trying to shift blame, last week he was saying to the Health Committee that things were going to have to be more digital how good it has been.
My surgery for a couple of years have been doing Phone Triage for all GP appointments, then give an appointment for face to face if deemed necessary. The few times I have used i have been given an appointment Face to Face in the hour.

 

[trophywench]

Our surgery now do telephone triage - however it is as difficult to get an appointment to do that as it used to be booking GP appts online - ie approx 3 weeks except now you have to ring from 8am, when it takes at least half an hour to get through by which time all the appts have gone and ditto at 1pm.

 

[grovesy]

Our surgery now do telephone triage - however it is as difficult to get an appointment to do that as it used to be booking GP appts online - ie approx 3 weeks except now you have to ring from 8am, when it takes at least half an hour to get through by which time all the appts have gone and ditto at 1pm.

About a year ago my surgery started to release phone appointments for next day after 6 pm. Though the couple of times I rang at the begining of the year rang and the phone appointment was for the same day both within the hour I called and then the face to face appointments within another hour.