Thousands of sick Britons are booking private GP appointments rather than relying on the NHS, figures show.
Independent healthcare providers have reported an increase in demand since the Covid outbreak, with patients struggling to get an appointment during the 8am rush hour and no face-to-face consultation with their NHS clinic.
Top doctors have warned that general practice risks follow after dentistry, with only those who can access first-class care for a fee having access.
Today’s data showed more than 1,000 practices have closed since 2015, leaving the remaining practices with heavier lists and forcing many rural patients to travel further afield for an appointment.
Amid the never-ending scheduling crisis, patient satisfaction has fallen to its lowest level in four decades.
The data was collected on behalf of Spire Healthcare, which has almost 4,000 consultants and 38 private hospitals in the UK. The latest results show that the number of appointments with general practitioners has increased by 39 per cent in the past year
A survey of 2,000 Britons by Focaldata shows the majority (54%) said they struggled to book a face-to-face consultation with a GP, while almost half (45%) said they had trouble arranging an appointment on the phone.
A survey of 2,000 Britons by Focaldata shows that a third (32%) of adults have had an appointment with a private GP in the last three years.
Six in ten of this group booked more than one private appointment during this period, which can cost between £80 and £250.
Overall, more than half of respondents (53 percent) said they would consider going private for a doctor’s appointment.
The majority (54 per cent) said they had difficulty booking an in-person consultation with a GP, while almost half (45 per cent) said they had difficulty getting an appointment over the phone.
Of those who needed an appointment in the past six months, one in four (24 percent) were unable to make an appointment.
Most said the call was because they were seen quickly and it was easier to get an appointment and see a GP in person if they went privately.
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The data was collected on behalf of Spire Healthcare, which has almost 4,000 consultants and 38 private hospitals in the UK.
The latest results show that the number of GP appointments has increased by 39 per cent in the past year.
Lack of access to GPs, including personal appointments, is becoming a “growing problem” for patients and demand from the private sector is expected to remain strong.
Public satisfaction with GPs is at its lowest level since measurements began in 1983. According to the UK’s Social Attitudes survey, more than four in ten Britons say they are dissatisfied.
DR Jeremy Cohen, a GP who works in the NHS and at Spire’s clinic in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, said: ‘Most patients seen at Spire Healthcare prefer to be seen privately, both because of the speed of access and as a result of the longer duration of appointments.
“During the pandemic, I dealt with many patients who were just desperate to see a doctor, but whose concerns were not considered urgent.
“After the pandemic, I now see a wide spectrum of private patients, some who require ongoing care for chronic illnesses, others for a one-off problem, and others who come in for a one-off consultation and then stay for the duration of their treatment.
“Meanwhile, I believe the biggest advantage of private care is the time available to thoroughly discuss a person’s medical concerns and my recommendations, which with the length of an NHS GP appointment is often not feasible, especially if is a complicated matter.”
Carl Caswell, a company director from Hertfordshire, mainly consults an NHS GP but has occasionally used a private GP through Spire Harpenden Hospital.
He said: “For my last medical call it took me a few days to get through to my local NHS GP’s reception and I wasn’t able to get an appointment until three weeks later.
Last month there were just 27,558 fully qualified full-time equivalent GPs employed in England, down 1.6 per cent from the 18,000 registered in June 2021. This was 5.3 percent less than the more than 29,000 employees in June 2017
More than a third of patients did not have access to a GP when they needed one last year, a MailOnline survey in January found. The poll of 1,500 Britons found 34 per cent said they could not get an appointment with their local GP or other NHS services when they tried in 2022.
GPs now make up just a quarter of primary care staff, outnumbered by administrative staff, more than half of whom are receptionists, by a margin of 2 to 1, according to NHS data
“I decided to contact Spiers’ private GP service in Harpenden and got an appointment the same week which after a blood test revealed that I had diabetes.
“I especially appreciate the accessibility and personality of private GP services. This gives them time to fully discuss my concerns with me and understand my feelings.
“The NHS is still my first port of call. But for urgent matters, I am happy to be able to use Spire’s services when I need to get something done urgently.”
Data shows 2.8 million patients in England have been forced to find a new doctor after their GP practice closed.
The figures, obtained by Labor via a freedom of information request, show there are 1,200 fewer practices today than in 2015 and that 2,000 GPs have been made redundant over the same period.
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On another occasion, Cambridgeshire Hospital offered a plate of broccoli and cauliflower in a cheese sauce for dinner
This increased the number of patients per practice from 7,465 in 2015 to 9,722 in February, so that each remaining practice had to admit an average of 2,257 additional patients.
People in rural areas often have to register with practices far from where they live, Labor said.
Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that a quarter of Britons were unable to get an appointment at the last attempt, while three in 10 had problems contacting their GP and more than a third were offered advice over the phone if they wanted a face-tot. -face maintenance. face appointment.
Many GPs, who earn more than £100,000 a year on average, retire at the age of 50, move overseas or go into the private sector due to increased demand and paperwork.
Work pressure, a lack of vacancies and mergers of practices are to blame for the decline in the number of GP practices.
Separate figures from Unison show that the NHS spends more than £1 million a week hiring private ambulances for emergency calls.
Shadow Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Patients are finding it impossible to get a doctor’s appointment when they need it because the Conservatives are not training enough doctors.
“Practice offices are closing up shop across the country, forcing people to travel miles to be seen and overburdening GPs.
Labor will train 15,000 doctors a year so patients can be seen again on time, paid for by scrapping non-Dom tax status. We’re bringing back the family doctor and making sure that patients can easily schedule an appointment with the doctor of their choice, just the way they want.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We are making real progress in getting patients to their GP quickly, with almost two million more GP appointments compared to this time last year – that’s 100,000 more appointments per working day.
“We are also increasing the number of GPs, with hundreds more doctors in GP practices than last year, record numbers in training and we are on target to provide an additional 26,000 primary care staff to support GPs and patients, including pharmacists and physiotherapists . to support, near . ‘
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
