GPs face downward spiral of rising admin, says Shropshire doctor
GPs are facing mounting piles of paperwork and increased workloads, a county doctor has warned.
Dr Rob Richards, of Market Drayton Medical Practice, said many doctors are facing ever-increasing responsibilities for patients as care is moved out of hospitals.
A recent poll of 15,560 GPs by the British Medical Association (BMA) found that 34 per cent intend to stop working by 2020, with many others going part-time, moving abroad or abandoning medicine altogether.
Dr Richards said: "Patients don't realise the huge rise in admin work.
"Twenty years ago I could read my hospital letters, blood tests and sign prescriptions all in a 20-minute coffee break. I have been at my desk since 7.40am this morning to be ready for my first patient at 8.30am.
"A lot of my partners are opting to reduce the days of work here so they can locum, which means they can choose how many days they work instead where there isn't the huge burden of admin. I fear we are on a downward spiral."
In June the government promised a "new deal" for GPs in England if they sign up to seven-day opening.
The package included plans to recruit 5,000 new GPs and another 5,000 support staff, including practice nurses.
But Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in return, GPs need to accept his plans for weekend opening, which involves groups of practices pooling together to share the extended hours.
Dr Richards said he was concerned about plans to open GP practices seven days a week. He added: "There are no way enough doctors to open seven days a week.
"Until we address this issue we are getting ourselves into a black hole."
