Work ongoing to help ease patients' minds amid GP pressures

It is a challenging world for GP surgeries and their patients; pay disputes and junior doctor strikes have been adding pressure, and face-to-face appointments are not as common as they used to be.

General practice teams across the country are carrying out ‘record numbers’ of appointments for patients – over a million a day – half a million more each week compared to before the pandemic.

As such, there has been a need to ‘adapt’ and grow, say local doctors– turning more of the GP offering into digital, or redirecting to other health services.

Though some are dismayed by this change, NHS Frimley (which runs GP surgeries in the area and Wexham Park Hospital) is keen to highlight the positives.

Dr Amandeep Dosanjh, GP at The Cedars Surgery in Cookham Road and clinical director of the Maidenhead Primary Care Network, said:

“GP practices across Maidenhead have been working hard to ensure they are transforming the way patients access care.

“An example of this is the roll-out of a new telephony system across all practices in Maidenhead.

“This means patients are having to wait less on the phone for their call to be answered, but also benefit from other features like a call-back option.”

Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System (ICS) is a formal partnership of health and social care organisations working together to improve services for the 800,000 people across East Berkshire, North East Hampshire and Farnham and Surrey Heath.

Around 400 additional team members have been recruited into healthcare roles at general practices in its area since 2019/2020 – offering patients access to an expanded team of health professionals in addition to their practice GP or nurse.

GPs are now supported by this larger team that includes pharmacists, mental health practitioners, paramedics and social prescribers, who work together to support patients to get the right care.

Multi-disciplinary teams based at various GP surgeries can offer a range of support and testing, which can also keep people out of hospitals and A&E – also under ‘a great deal of pressure’.

The healthcare team and its doctors have acknowledged that patients are often ‘frustrated’ and want face-to-face appointments or GP appointments because that is what they are used to – and are not always aware there are other options that are a better fit.

More than 73 per cent of people surveyed said they were happy to receive care from another health worker, recognising they did not always need to see a GP.

But even though GP practice teams have been growing for several years now, public awareness of the range of support available ‘remains low’, said Frimley.

For example, St Mark’s Hospital – although no longer a walk-in, and no indication so far that it will open as a walk-in again, still offers same-day urgent care for minor illnesses and minor injuries.

There are a range of staff including GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, minor injury practitioners and mental health support workers that can cater to a wider range of medical complaints and concerns than before.

The same day appointments available at St Mark’s Hospital are bookable via GP practices.

“This leads to better outcomes for patients as they will be seen at the right place to meet their needs and be treated at the appointment rather than having to send people elsewhere for further care,” said Dr Dosanjh.

“This collaborative service model helps us support our wider healthcare services. We can adapt quickly to demand and build capacity in the community in order to meet the needs of our local people so we can treat people closer to home.”

As of the end of November 2023 this service had increased its appointment offer by 25 per cent to local residents from that of November 2022.

Lalitha Iyer, chief medical officer for NHS Frimley, said: “Not only have we been growing the teams within GP practices, but we have also been listening to feedback and making improvements to our systems.

“Phone lines have been improved, reducing waiting times, providing a clearer indication of place in the queue, and offering a call back option.

“We have also increased capacity, providing extended appointment times 8am-8pm and at weekends.

“Digital support like the NHS App is making it even easier to order repeat prescriptions and view your medical records.”

NHS Frimley is also ‘improving its working relationship’ with 111.

Among other things, 111 books appointments in designated slots at GP surgeries for patients it has identified will need them.

Another thing that helping take the pressure off GP surgeries is the mental health help option introduced into the 111 service, which is ‘quite vital’.

• St Mark’s Hospital can help with chest, skin or urinary tract infections, cuts and grazes, minor burns or minor head injuries. Residents registered with a Maidenhead GP practice can be booked in by their GP as needed.