1Stop4aGP News

Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

Millions Turn to Digital GP Appointments Amid NHS Struggles

A growing number of people in the UK are turning to online healthcare services as frustration with long NHS wait times continues to rise. With 7.46 million NHS appointments delayed and GP access topping the list of patient concerns, digital healthcare is emerging as a popular alternative.

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Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

Urgent Adult Mental Health Crisis Referrals in England Double in a Year

Care Quality Commission Report Highlights Overstretched Services and Increased Demand

Urgent adult referrals to mental health crisis teams in England more than doubled between 2023 and 2024, according to a healthcare watchdog, which found that people were becoming more unwell while waiting for help from overstretched services.

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Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

The Changing Landscape of GP Appointments in the NHS

Less than half of all GP appointments in England are now conducted by a doctor, as patients are increasingly being seen by other healthcare professionals. Recent NHS data highlights that for the first time, the majority of consultations in general practice were carried out by nurses, pharmacists, and physician associates rather than GPs.

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Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

Surging demand for virtual GP services

Difficulty securing a doctor’s appointment since the start of the decade has meant there is now no question that people are perfectly happy to see a GP virtually rather than endure an interminable wait to visit their local NHS practice.

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Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

Mental Health Patients Left Behind in NHS Waiting List Reform

Recent plans to reduce NHS waiting lists for elective care have sparked both hope and frustration. While these initiatives aim to provide thousands of additional appointments for pre-planned and non-urgent treatments, they glaringly exclude mental health patients from their scope. This omission highlights the persistent disparity between how physical and mental health are prioritized in the UK.

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Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

Millions of UK Patients Struggle to Access GP Services: Report

Accessing GP services in the UK continues to pose a significant challenge, with millions of patients facing delays or being unable to secure appointments. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals the extent of the crisis, highlighting growing concerns about the state of primary healthcare.

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Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

The Benefits of Remote GP Appointments

Remote GP appointments, whether conducted online or by video, have grown steadily in popularity in recent years. In August, one in 20 GP appointments in England was conducted remotely, the highest proportion since such records began. This trend reflects the rising demand for convenient and accessible healthcare options that meet the needs of both patients and doctors.

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Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

The Decline of the Family Doctor: Pressures on Patients Seeking GP Appointments

The vision of “bringing back the family doctor” is increasingly unlikely, as fewer patients will see GPs in the coming decade. A report by Frontier Economics predicts that by 2034, only 70% of surgery appointments in England will be delivered by GPs, down from 90% in 2015. Instead, patients will more often see other healthcare professionals, such as nurses, physiotherapists, or pharmacists.

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Vicki Stone Vicki Stone

Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace: An Opportunity for Insurance Brokers

Mental Health in the workplace is becoming a major issue that employers need to address and prioritise for not only the health of their employees, but ultimately for the overall health of their business. Employers are now looking for timely solutions from their insurance brokers. Be ahead of the curve, stand out from the crowd. Talk to us about offering our service today.

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Employees, Employers Vicki Stone Employees, Employers Vicki Stone

The doctor will see you... next month!

The ongoing crisis in the NHS has affected service delivery across the primary and secondary care sectors. GP services have always been the most likely first point of contact with the NHS, but GP practices have been struggling to cope with demand and the appointment booking process has left patients feeling stressed and frustrated.

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Employees, Employers Vicki Stone Employees, Employers Vicki Stone

Nearly 10 million people have struggled to contact a GP in past month

The ongoing crisis in the NHS has affected service delivery across the primary and secondary care sectors. GP services have always been the most likely first point of contact with the NHS, but GP practices have been struggling to cope with demand and the appointment booking process has left patients feeling stressed and frustrated.

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The Use of Private GPs is becoming the norm

The ongoing crisis in the NHS has affected service delivery across the primary and secondary care sectors. GP services have always been the most likely first point of contact with the NHS, but GP practices have been struggling to cope with demand and the appointment booking process has left patients feeling stressed and frustrated.

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Remote / Virtual GP Services – The New Norm?

The ongoing crisis in the NHS has affected service delivery across the primary and secondary care sectors. GP services have always been the most likely first point of contact with the NHS, but GP practices have been struggling to cope with demand and the appointment booking process has left patients feeling stressed and frustrated.

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NHS & Patient Satisfaction Vicki Stone NHS & Patient Satisfaction Vicki Stone

Difficulties in getting a GP appointment have impacts across the NHS

We in the UK used to see the National Health Service (NHS) as a source of pride. It is now feels more like a source of danger. Leaked data suggest that, in one week in December, over 50,000 sick people in England waited more than 12 hours to be admitted to hospital from accident-and-emergency (A&E) departments. The Economist’s mortality model echoes the warnings from emergency doctors: around one in four excess deaths in recent months is attributable to delays in emergency care.

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