GPs clock over 200 patient contacts a day, campaign reveals

Some GPs are seeing hundreds of patient contacts in a day despite the recommended safe working limit of 25, a Twitter campaign has revealed.  

On Monday, the Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) encouraged GPs to share their day’s work on Twitter to give a ‘mass insight’ into the work of GPs and ‘why there is a GP crisis’.  

This resulted in GPs sharing patient contact numbers for their day, with some exceeding 200.

Chair of Gateshead and South Tyneside LMC Dr Paul Evans tweeted: ‘212 patient contacts today, many of them multiple issues and decisions.’  

Meanwhile, Surrey GP Dr Dave Triska shared an image of his hand-held counter, where he had clocked 225 contacts. He also commented that he had completed 28 consultations in the first 40 minutes of his day.  

This comes as earlier this month NHS England’s board issued a stark warning that demand for GP appointments has ‘never been greater’ and is ‘outstripping supply’.  

Co-chair of DAUK Dr Ellen Welch told Pulse that the organisation has been running its #GPCrisis campaign since early 2021 to try and raise awareness of the current issues in primary care. 

She added that the ‘Day in GP’ was inspired by a tweet by Nottingham GP Dr Gandhi from the previous week, where he outlined his day’s work.

‘It’s similar to what we did last year and as GP is even tougher now than a year ago, we thought it would provide a wake-up call to politicians to have an idea of exactly what is going on in GP,’ Dr Welch said. 

Some GPs also highlighted the impact the workload crisis has had on their health, including burnout and exhaustion.

Nottingham GP Dr Shan Hussain said: ‘Until recently, it was normal for me to see up to 65 patients a day. This resulted in a heart attack, four stents, ventricular tachycardias, 18 days in hospital, 11 shocks and an ICD insertion. 

‘I’m 47 and I’ll never be the same again. Trust me, it’s not worth it. Cap your workload.’

Meanwhile, Norfolk GP Mark Steggles said it is ‘very worrying to see the number of GPs tweeting’ about ‘unbelievably unsafe consultation numbers’, adding that ‘this madness has to stop.’ 

He was one of many GPs around the UK who called for the immediate application of safe working practices, which include 25 consultations per day and 15 minutes appointments.  

DAUK encouraged GPs to keep sharing their working days on Twitter tagged as #GPCrisis. 

Dr Welch said that any solutions to tackle the workload crisis need to consider the ‘unseen work’ in general practice as well.  

She said: ‘A GP may have a cap on the number of patients in their clinic, but then be expected to have double the number of patient contacts dealing with results, letters, and admin. 

‘If this isn’t factored into workforce planning, then we will continue to see GPs becoming burnout and unwell.’ 

DAUK’s GP Lead Dr Lizzie Toberty added: ‘We need to be realistic about what can be dealt with when the demand is so high. As winter approaches we need to have systems in place to signpost minor problems such as fungal toenails elsewhere, or else we really will be overwhelmed.’  

Earlier this month, the BMA issued updated safe working guidance which suggested that GP practices move to a ‘waiting list system’ based on clinical need to try and mitigate the current pressures. This could mean patients with non-urgent problems would wait a number of a weeks for an appointment.  

The guidance also advised practices that the current contract only states they need to provide an ‘assessment’ of patients with emergency or urgent problems, and they can direct them to emergency departments, 999 or NHS 111.  

It also reiterated the BMA and the European Union of General Practitioners’ recommendation that in order to deliver safe care, GPs should see no more than 25 patient contacts per day.