Dr Harrod-Rothwell provided this response to figures gathered by Pulse:
“Based on recent estimates £2.4m would pay for over 42,000 additional GP appointments and I know where London’s GPs and patients would rather see the funding go, if they had a say in it. Spending NHS money on management consultants at a time of such financial shortage is perverse. In most cases GPs and their LMC representatives, who see patients day-in, day-out, while living in the same communities, can offer accurate analysis of how systems can meet the needs of their patients.”
“We need an honest conversation about what can be delivered safely with the available resources. That means focussing on what is safe and clinically appropriate provision for both patients and their GPs. Then freeing up practices from endless bureaucratic accountability measures, which stop professionals focussing on the continuity of care that is so fundamental and motivating to everyone working in general practice.”
Note: the estimation of the cost of a GP appointment is put at £56, based on recent figures published by the King’s Fund.