Doctors fear that hundreds more GPs will leave the NHS as their workload increases as strikes by young doctors last longer.
Dr Selvashilan Selvaraja, GP Bromley’s partner at Bow Health in east London, said while the short-term impact of the strikes on GP practice will be “variable”, the long-term impact could be much more problematic.
“The longer the strikes last, the greater the impact on the overall workload of general practitioners,” he said. I. “There are already more than 7.2 million people on the waiting list for treatment in England and months of strikes will add to that.
“Patients whose treatment has been delayed or delayed will contact their local GP to see if they can contact the hospital where their surgery will take place and ask if they can reschedule an earlier appointment or go somewhere else. .
General practitioners are among the NHS workers called to help trusts deal with the 96-hour strike this week, as hospitals sent out an “all hands on deck” call to deal with the mass strike. Trust leaders told NHS providers who represent the trusts that hospitals are enlisting matrons, pharmacists, general practitioners, paramedics and other community members to support frontline workers. Additional support services were also offered to observers or temporary workers.
Dr Selvaraja said about 1,900 general practitioners have opted out of primary care since 2015 and he expects more to follow as the dispute between the British Medical Association and the government continues.
“Our consulting rates will rise, so there is a clear risk of further burnout among already overworked, experienced employees who have already seen our workload increase by 20 percent over the past few years,” he said.
“Then there’s the other end of the spectrum with IMG [international trainees] who now make up to 40% of trainee doctors, and in some regions up to 70%, will no longer work in the NHS with all the chaos of paying junior doctors and working doctors.
“I support about 200 IMGs and some have already told me that after completing their training, due to all the uncertainties, they are planning to go to the Middle East, Australia, Canada, or even countries where they have qualified, such as India.”
Health officials have said it’s inevitable that all parts of the NHS will be affected by a 96-hour strike of up to 61,000 young doctors in England this week, but busy GPs are open and anyone with an appointment who hasn’t heard otherwise will should just be there. As with previous strikes, NHS England is collecting data on the impact of the strikes, which will be released after the strikes have ended.
Professor Sir Stephen Powys, National Medical Director for England’s National Health Service, said: “Staff are working incredibly hard during this unprecedented phase of the strike and we expect things to get more complicated by the day as this strike progresses.
“During the week, we expect staff coverage to expand as those who worked tirelessly over the Easter holidays go on vacation, which will be a major challenge for an already depleted workforce.”
“It is vital that the public knows how best to access NHS care by accessing 111 online and using the experience of pharmacies, general practitioners and community services for less pressing needs, while 999 and A&E continue to be used only in life-threatening cases. emergencies.
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.