GPs vote for Industrial action

This is the first time I felt the need to post on this site. I work part time in a GP surgery as a receptionist. I have over 20 years experience in the role. I never seen GP practices under so much strain and pressure. On Thursday morning during my morning shift 8-12.30 3 receptionists handled 197 incoming calls. I lost count of the patients I dealt with who visited the reception desk. GP’s telephone triaged 71 patients and saw around 12 of those face to face. Many patients as a result of their triage had tests arranged for which forms needed to be raised by the GP for the patient to collect. In addition 2 further GP’s were seeing around 15 patients each either face to face or by phone (our patients are given the choice) for more routine matters and follow up consults. A 10 minute consult involves the GP seeing /speaking to the patient, diagnosing their problem and or ordering tests, referrals etc. The records then need to be updated, accurately of course, all in 10 minutes. In addition to this they sign off on average around 40 plus prescriptions. They need to dictate any referrals needed, review pathology tests that come in daily, review and sign insurance documents, fit to fly, fit to work/not work notes and may more requests. There are no coffee/tea breaks.
I apologise for the length of this post but too many people are ignorant of the way a modern GP surgery functions. Many GP’s work part time my own daughter included. She does 3 days a week plus a paediatric clinic once a month. She finishes at 19.30 if she is lucky and often brings admin home to complete after her children have gone to bed! If you call that part time I hate to think what is regarded as full time! Sorry and I am dreading a work to rule which I am pretty sure the GP’s I work for will not take part in shattered and burnt out as they are.

Even if they went on strike it would be quite a while before any patient at the practice I use would notice! Over 4 weeks wait now for even a telephone apt and that's with just a trainee GP.
I think once the junior docs, nurses and teachers were awarded a much needed pay increase it was pretty obvious others would want parity.
Heaven help A&E waiting times if GP's cut down on their number of patients per.

Jaxjacky

Our surgery does home visits Fleurpepper, by a GP, a friend has had them recently.

Yes, my mum has home visits too. She also had the local pharmacist visit to do her covid and flu jabs recently. I think if people are genuinely housebound the service is still good.

I don't think anyone will notice if our GP's are on strike or not.
They are the pits and are rated at 50% nationally.
The receptionists are rude as well.

Our surgery does home visits Fleurpepper, by a GP, a friend has had them recently.

I am very fortunate that I have an absolutely brilliant surgery with doctors always giving their very best. But surgeries are under extreme pressure to see patients for 10 minutes only so that they can cram in more patients in a day. They only want a more sensible working day where they can give their patients the time and service that they deserve.
A serious lack of GPs is obviously the reason why GPs are so busy and the previous government did nowhere enough to alleviate the problem. The new government cannot be blamed for the mismanagement they inherited nor can they be expected to solve all the problems left behind immediately.

Imarocker

If the GP in our practice who has just bought a new Porsche sports car with personalised number plate (it replaces another) goes on strike I promise to vandalise the car.

I'm sure that certain GP's may be in it for the money, but

I am clear that this dispute as a whole is definitely not about pay

but is about financing surgeries and trying to employ more GP's and auxiliary staff for both the GP's and staff and the patients they serve.

It would be interesting to hear from others to enquire as I did about whether their GP practice is actually involved, as opposed to reports of what might happen.

So conflicted about this.

Not so long ago, a GP would actually see in surgery 18 per session, so 36. + emergency apps added to each list. Then go and do homevisits both morning, afternoon and after surgery. And a few teaching and/or industrial appointments on top. PLUS night visits, normally 1 night in 4, or 1 night in 3 if a partner away on hols, or sick. And 1 week-end in 3 or 4- ON TOP, of the above. And then of course all the admin or running what is actually a business, and all the 100s of insurance reports (the bane of any GP I've known, as they can take so long going through all the notes, etc).

Now that was crazy- but the norm for GPs for a very long time. It was just too much- and I would not wish this on anyone. And of course would make it even worse to recruit and retain.

But GPs are now mostly part time, don't do home visits, don't do night or weekend calls, and don't even see many patients face to face.

Just don't know what the answer is.

GPs know that the NHS is under threat, and that Labour has inherited 14 disastrous years, with coffers empty, and worse, humongous debt to repay. So I feel industrial action at this stage, for very well paid GPs, is massively WRONG.

Sarnia

Seeing how quickly Labour caved in to the junior doctors' demands, I can understand the action from the GP's. Make hay while the sun shines.

It’s not related to Labour being in power though, it’s a response to the pay award offered before they came into power, GPs were balloted on 17th June.

Seeing how quickly Labour caved in to the junior doctors' demands, I can understand the action from the GP's. Make hay while the sun shines.

Visgir1

My chum is a practice manager.
She recently had a newly qualified GP who had previously been their GP trainee. He desperately wanted to stay but had to leave her practice as they couldn't employ him due to the number of registered patients.
You apprently have to have "X" number of patients per GP.
They didn't have enough to keep /pay him.
So his training place which is funded, has a new incumbent.

Yes, that confirms what DH was told when chatting with the practice nurse at our surgery. They are not allowed to employ another GP. It all seems rather conflicting and confusing to me, as an outsider; we need GPs we are told, but I understand that there are newly qualified ones having to work as locums as they cannot get permanent posts. Combine this with the fact that most practices are partnerships, which should be fully independent but obviously have to apply for funding/payment from their local NHS body, it all is an unsatisfactory muddle.

The BMA has become a totally politicised organisation with its own political agenda. Very changed alas.

However, I must praise the GP practice I belong to. The doctors are all good, the receptionists kind and helpful. It is always possible to see a doctor face to face. I recently communicated a problem I was very worried about, via the website, Within 10 minutes I was phoned and offered an immediate appointment. That was followed by a further test and I was seen 1 week later by a consultant at the local hospital!
I have belonged there for many years and can’t speak highly enough of them.

Urmstongran

Mind you, as we all know, it’s a nightmare trying to survive on a hundred grand a year.

......for a two day week at our local surgery!

If GPs are now going to work to rule, how will we notice any difference?

GPs are self employed, the money is for their practice not an increase in their wages. They decide that themselves, presumably can increase their salaries if they get more £££

Visgir1

My chum is a practice manager.
She recently had a newly qualified GP who had previously been their GP trainee. He desperately wanted to stay but had to leave her practice as they couldn't employ him due to the number of registered patients.
You apprently have to have "X" number of patients per GP.
They didn't have enough to keep /pay him.
So his training place which is funded, has a new incumbent.

Interesting. Thanks Visgirl for explaining this.

I doubt it. Unless it includes signing off prescriptions.

www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/aug/01/why-gps-in-england-are-taking-collective-action

The money is for the practices not GP pay.

However since the numbers voting to work to rule were very small relatively it may be many have the experience that I did today - had not been considered at all for the practice.

My medical centre only offers appointments and phone consultations in the morning, and one afternoon, each week. They cannot be " seeing" sixty or seventy people a day in that time frame, surely ?

My chum is a practice manager.
She recently had a newly qualified GP who had previously been their GP trainee. He desperately wanted to stay but had to leave her practice as they couldn't employ him due to the number of registered patients.
You apprently have to have "X" number of patients per GP.
They didn't have enough to keep /pay him.
So his training place which is funded, has a new incumbent.

I went for a blood test this morning and decided to ask about any action.
They have morning meetings before they open and it wasn't raised nor discussed by anyone.

The bloke in reception had heard of it as regards in the press, but no discussions had taken place at all either over last few weeks or in the future.

Beginning to think we should be careful about scaremongering news reports, but if you are worried, to find out.

Our practice no longer offers telephone consultations with GPs as ‘patients don’t like them’. There are however still many phone calls from the in house pharmacist, nurses and even a physio. As with many if not most practices all GPs barr 1 work part time. One at least chooses to work two long days rather than three standard days. It’s their choice to suit their lifestyle rather than for caring responsibilities . I’ve no idea if or how the practice would implement the suggested protest routes and wonder what will happen in any practice where some are BMA members voting for the action and some are not.

Still not sure the assumption is going directly into GP pockets is correct, or they want more than the 30p per patient to manage the practice as a whole, a different matter altogether.

Not sure about my practice, its definitely a lot more than 25 (the figures I presume cover telephone consultations as well as f2f) I doubt 60-70

Wyllow3 our practice has a cut off point for the number of patients seen on any one day. You are told to ring 111 or go to a walk in clinic or A&E if urgent care is needed.
Seems a huge variation across the country if gps are seeing 70 patients a day because my local gps definitely don’t.

It's unclear to me if they are striking about their personal pay or the money going into the practice. Ie money for either more GP's /anciliary staff. (ie the 30p per patient)

"Patients in danger from overworked GPs says doctors’ spokesperson as strike threat looms
‘It is dangerous for GPs to see 60-70 patients a day,’ warns top GP Clare Gerada"

(Independent).

40 patients a day at ten minutes each is 400 minutes which is 6.66 hours x 3 days a week is 20 hours a week. Many gps are part time.
Our large surgery seems to have a huge team of back up staff in addition to the 40 gps who serve 4 practices.
Of course by all means highlight problems relating to patient care and safety. It seems to be a bit of a lottery whether you are fobbed off with exercise sheets rather than forwarded onto hospital for investigation. GPs do have reasonable grounds for highlighting certain workplace practices but why not spend just a little longer talking to the new health minister before taking industrial action?