Demand for Shropshire GP practices 'exceeding pre-coronavirus levels on some days'
Demand has continued to rise at GP practices in Shropshire and is now exceeding pre-coronavirus levels on some days, health bosses have said.
There was a huge drop-off at the start of the pandemic and, in the weeks following, more face-to-face consultations were replaced by telephone and video calls in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Dr Julian Povey, joint chair of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups and a GP at Pontesbury Medical Practice near Shrewsbury, says doctors' surgeries have also changed the way they work and are managing a lot of demand on the day, rather than patients booking ahead.
He said: "Demand is certainly getting back towards pre-Covid levels.
"The demand is different and the way primary care is being practised is different.
"It feels very busy. It feels busier than it was before; in terms of pure appointments it's probably getting back up to pre-Covid levels.
"In some places, on some days, it may be over those levels.
"Practices have switched the way they work really to managing a lot of demand on the day, rather than people booking ahead so that carries with it some benefits for patients and also some drawbacks, but it also then can make workload very variable during the week.
"There's always a spike of work on a Monday/Tuesday, previously that was smoothed out because people would book appointments, whereas if you are dealing with on the day demand you end up some days incredibly busy and others a little bit quieter, but it feels busier than it did."
Restore
Demand for A&E services has also risen after seeing a decline at the start of the pandemic.
NHS England said the drop, which was seen across the country, was “likely to be a result of the Covid-19 response” – an indication that people were staying away from A&E departments because of the coronavirus outbreak.
David Evans, joint accountable officer for the CCGs, said activity levels at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital's emergency department were now nearly back to pre-Covid levels, with demand also rising at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
He added: "Also we've started to restore other services as well, so things like elective surgery.
"We've moved trauma back from Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital to Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust so that Robert Jones are now doing more elective surgery, so they are getting busier as well.
"I think overall across health and social care, whilst there is still some way to go in some services, it is busier than it was."
