A Nottinghamshire GP with more than 30 years of experience has said the current challenges are the worst he has ever faced after his practice was rated 'inadequate' by inspectors. Dr Ian Campbell, a partner at the Jubilee Park Medical Partnership in Carlton, said he was 'hugely disappointed' with the findings of the inspection report but stressed that it was 'inextricably linked' to increasing pressures on its services.
The Nottinghamshire NHS healthcare system has been in a critical incident situation due to the demand on its services, a trend mirrored across many areas of the UK. Dr Campbell said this demand was resulting in 'immense pressure' at his practice in Burton Road.
"Every morning there's a queue from the front desk to the front door of patients waiting for treatment, which they deserve," he told Nottinghamshire Live. He said, due to A&E departments being 'overwhelmed', many more patients were trying to make appointments with GPs.
Read more: 'Relentless' NHS pressures the worst Nottingham A&E nurse has seen in 32 years
"I know of patients who have suffered irreparably because of the inability to access treatment both in primary care and secondary care," he said. "It is really demoralising and I feel grossly disappointed for my patients."
Torkard Hill Medical Centre in Hucknall is one GP practice which has capped the number of urgent appointments it is able to offer. It said there will be a daily set number of urgent, on-the-day GP appointments, and Dr Campbell said this was something his practice was considering too.
Jubilee Park Medical Partnership, which also has a branch in Lowdham, was rated 'inadequate' in four out of five inspection areas following a visit by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) last October, meaning it was put into special measures. The watchdog said patients were not able access care and treatment in a timely way and found there were gaps in assessment system and poor oversight and maintenance of the premises.
Dr Campbell admitted the service was not good enough but said it was 'reflective of the situation we're currently in'. He said: "Management hasn't changed, patients haven't changed but the workload has and Covid has occurred and it's just taken us to the brink in common with every other part of the NHS.
"I've been in general practice for more than 30 years and I have never been under such pressure in all that time. I see my doctor colleagues working in the evenings and at weekends in their own time trying to keep up. I see my staff at the front desk under immense pressure, getting abuse from patients like I've never known.
"We're not happy with the current situation - we will make it better but it's going to take a lot more than we can do. We just beg for patience and understanding from our patients - we're on their side. My staff are all patients somewhere. The prime cause of this is financial restraint, it's 12 years of a lack of adequate funding in the NHS which has got worse and worse."
Amanda Sullivan, chief executive of NHS Nottinghamshire, said: “We are incredibly proud of our general practice colleagues who continue to work extremely hard during these pressurised times, where we are seeing more demand than ever on NHS services." She advised the public to use NHS services wisely to 'ensure those patients with the greatest need can access care and support when they need it'.
"If you are unsure where you should go, NHS 111 can help – search online for NHS 111 or dial 111 from any phone," she added. "This will make sure you are seen in the right place and by the right person which may be a pharmacist or an appointment at an urgent treatment centre."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures the NHS is facing following the impact of the pandemic and are working tirelessly to ensure people get the care they need, backed by up to £14.1billion additional funding for health and social care over the next two years."
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