This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
BMA calls for longer GP appointment times
The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that patients are being put at risk by GPs having to carry out consultations in 10 minutes or under, and has called for more funding to be made available to allow appointments to last at least 15 minutes.
The NHS choices website currently directs that ‘GPs spend an average of 8-10 minutes with each patient’ and advises patients to ‘plan ahead to make sure you cover everything you want to discuss’.
However, in a report on ‘safe working in general practice’, the BMA has called for a reorganisation of the service to relieve some of the pressure GPs are facing from increased workload and staff shortages.
The BMA’s GP committee has warned that an ageing population has lead to many patients having a complex set of multiple conditions that need longer to treat.
Dr Brian Balmer, from the GP committee, said: "We need a new approach that shakes up the way patients get their care from their local GP practice. The consultation time needs to increase to 15 minutes with the government providing on its promised funding to make this work."
A spokesperson for NHS England maintained that the length of appointments was ‘at the discretion of individual GP practices, based on patient need, and there are no national limits suggesting 10 minutes should be the norm.'
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