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The latest NHS data shows that the core issue facing the NHS is “very high demand and too few GPs,” according to Beccy Baird, Senior Fellow at The King’s Fund.
The data reveals that there were 27.1 million GP appointments in December 2022, with around two thirds (6.3%) of these appointments carried out face-to-face. This is despite there being nearly 500 less FTE fully-qualified GPs in December 2022 compared to the same month last year.
More GPs being trained than ever before
However, the health secretary, Steve Barclay, says the government is making “significant progress in training and recruiting staff”, with the data revealing that more new GPs are being trained than ever before.
However, Ms Baird warns that until they are fully qualified, they won’t reduce the pressures in general practice. She said: “Despite the fact GPs are working harder than ever before to deliver these record numbers of appointments, many patients continue to face challenges accessing their GP when they need them.
“There has been much debate about whether reforming the model of general practice would resolve this crisis. Regardless of the model, this latest data shows that the core issue is very high demand and too few GPs. Addressing this should be a priority for government if ministers want to make it easier for people to see their GP.”
Norovirus cases twice as high as last year
The latest winter situation report was also published today, revealing that ambulances transported 77,937 patients to A&Es across the country last week, up from 72,009 the week before.
Despite this increase, fewer hours were lost to delays outside hospitals last week (10,170) compared to the previous seven days (13,921).
However, bed occupancy remains extremely high, with 19 in 20 beds occupied across adult general and acute hospital wards. While the number of beds taken up by flu and Covid patients has fallen, compared to last year, there are twice as many beds filled by people with norovirus cases.
Dr Layla McCay director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said this is “a concerning development” that they will “keep a close eye on”.
More patients discharged from hospital to community
She said: “We are grateful to the public for their continued support at this difficult time and are pleased to see that more people are using NHS 111 to seek advice where appropriate. We call on the public to continue using services responsibly as we enter a period of sustained industrial action, and to appreciate the pressures NHS staff are working under.
“Yet, against this backdrop the NHS continues to deliver. It is testament to the hard work of NHS staff that they have achieved a reduction in handover delays and are making in-roads into elective waiting lists despite the fundamental capacity gap they are facing. We are also seeing more people come out of hospital and go into the community, with nearly 500 patients discharged from hospital last week.
“We must continue to learn from the harsh lessons of this winter and the government should do all it can to put us in a better position for next time. Critical to that is addressing the worsening workforce crisis we continue to see in health and care whilst also reaching a compromise with the unions so we can overcome this impasse that is holding the NHS back.”