Allocate patients 15-minute slots, say GPs

The Royal College of GPs has released its vision of what general practice will look like in 2030, arguing that GP consultations should be extended from 10 to 15 minutes.

Fit for the Future was informed through consultation with more than 3,000 GPs, other health professionals and patients, as well as research commissioned from The King's Fund. It says that by 2030 face-to-face GP consultations will be at least 15 minutes, with longer for those patients who need it.

Recent research found that the average GP consultation involved discussion of two and a half health problems. It's estimated that the number of people with a single chronic condition increased by four per cent, and with multiple chronic conditions by eight per cent per year between 2003/4-2015/16 – and that patients with long-term conditions account for around 50 per cent of all GP appointments.

The RCGP report also predicts: an overhaul of the GP-patient record into a personalised 'data dashboard' that will draw on data from the patient's genomic profile and wearable monitoring devices; networks of GP practices evolving into 'well-being hubs' with expanded teams offering a wider range of services; and GPs no longer working in isolation – practices will instead work in networks or clusters, allowing them to pool resources and people, but facilitating smaller practices to retain their independence and patient lists.

Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "It is abundantly clear that the standard 10-minute appointment is unfit for purpose. It's increasingly rare for a patient to present with a just single health condition, and we cannot deal with this adequately in 10 minutes. GPs we want to deliver truly holistic care to our patients, considering all the physical, psychological and social factors potentially impacting on their health. But this depends on us having more time to spend with patients, and the resources and people to allow us to do this.

"NHS bodies across the UK do not stipulate how long GP appointments should be, but GP workload is soaring, GP numbers are falling, and patients are already waiting too long to secure an appointment as a result. Without more resources and an expanded workforce, longer consultations would simply mean increased waiting times, undermining patients' ability to access the care that they need."