Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, heard about the challenges facing those working in primary care during a recent visit to a GP practice in her constituency.
Arranged as part of the British Medical Association’s national programme of MP visits to GP surgeries, Catherine went to Throckley Primary Care to meet with patients and staff, including GPs, registrars, the practice manager, administrative support staff, health visitors and medical students.
The BMA estimates that, nationally, the number of patient consultations undertaken by GPs has reached 340 million a year – up 40 million since 2008, and MPs across the country have been invited to visit local surgeries to hear firsthand about primary care pressures in their areas. GPs at Throckley Primary Care have seen a 70 per cent increase in their appointments over the last decade, and an 80 per cent increase in prescriptions issued in the same period.
Catherine said:
‘My visit to Throckley Primary Care was extremely valuable. I heard about the ever-increasing workload facing GPs and the staff who support them, but also discussed the innovative ways of working introduced by Throckley to manage this demand, such as their GP telephone consultation service ahead of any appointments.
‘A key concern is the funding challenge currently facing primary care in Newcastle and the wider region, which – despite our well-known higher health needs – could see almost £230million in GP funding leaving the North East and Cumbria and going to more affluent parts of the country. This proposal is a disgrace and is one which I am raising with Health Ministers.’
Throckley Primary Care Practice Partner, Dr David Jones said:
‘It was a real pleasure to welcome Catherine to our surgery. She clearly has a grasp of the main funding issues facing health care services, and more generally the impact of the disproportionate austerity cuts our patients are having to bear. We’re grateful for every effort she’s making to address these issues’.
