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Ten-minute consultations ‘must go’, says NHS England director

The age of 10-minute GP appointments ‘has got to go’, as the limit is ‘unsafe’, a senior director of NHS England has said.

Speaking at the main debate rounding up the Pulse Live conference in London today, Dr Mike Bewick, NHS England’s deputy medical director, said this must ‘undoubtedly’ happen.

However GPC chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said GPs could not lengthen consulations without reducing patient access to appointments.

Responding to a question from the floor, Dr Bewick said: ‘I think the age of the ten-minute appointment has got to go, undoubtedly. As a commissioner, I think it is unsafe as well.’

‘I think you have got to manage what comes in through the door as well, at least make an attempt to put something in that stops people getting through in cases where self care would have been more appropriate.’

‘I think that requires training, as an issue for practices, not necessarily for individual GPs, and probably a training issue for larger providers of general practice.’

The BMA voted in favour of abolishing the 10-minute appointment at its annual representative meeting in Edinburgh last year, declaring it a thing of the past, and GPC chair Dr Nagpaul, who was also on the Pulse Live panel, said: ‘Ten minutes is a total insult to so many of our patients… I would like to offer 15-20 minute appointments but if I do that I would have to tell them that they have to wait two weeks to see me.’

Questions from the floor also focused on reducing expectations and demand on GPs from patients, to which Dr Nagpaul responded that he would like to see schools educating children what to expect from GPs, as well as how to manage a cold.

He said:‘Demand management and self-care is very important – educating patients and the public about how to use a limited resource effectively and responsibly. I think children in school should be educated about the role of GPs, the role of the pharmacists, and actually how they can manage colds and sore throats themselves.’