GP consultation length faces cut by a third as 'financial meltdown' looms

Is it April 1st?

'A 33% cut in the length of GP appointment times'. 'Cutting the number of people going to hospital accident and emergency departments by 60% and the number going to hospital outpatients by 55%.' The two don't go together - give me more time, less referals. Less time and I become symptom refer.

Of all the dreadful things affecting the NHS, and GPs in particular, that I have read over the past few years, this is the most disturbing. If any of these proposals become reality, the impact on quality of care will be devastating. It is particularly ironic that in the same Pulse Daily e mail we learn that NHS Choices costs taxpayers 27m a year.

I'll have to agree with Leslie Borrill. Less is more, more referrals that is! And it'll ruin the doctor-patient relationship unless this concept is no longer important in the eyes of the so-called chiefs. Not sure where general practice is heading in this country to be honest. And if this is the state of general practice in the UK then i can't imagine how the other, less well-off countries are managing.

As a practice-based pharmacist clinician and independent prescriber, my most valuable asset to the practice is the length of time I can spend with the patient, rarely less than 20 minutes and often 45 minutes if I am doing spirometry with bronchodilatory testing. I believe it is vital that the patient understands their condition to the best of their comprehension, and the objectives of their treatment. This leads to better compliance, and our referral rates in respiratory disease and diabetes have droppped significantly. To suggest that the GP should cut even further consultation times is ludicrous.

To even suggest such an initiative demonstates a complete lack of understanding of health care or its delivery. The fundamental transaction is the GP consulation. If that is inadequate or rushed it inevitably leads to increased use of resources upstream coupled with massive pateint dissatisfaction. Once again the NHS has demonstrated its immense ability to spend lots of money on outside consultants. McKinsey have a high reputation in the world of business and finance and do not come cheap. but a five year old could come up with better suggestions than these.

Unbelievable. We are already trying to fit a quart into a pint pot. We had been considering extending consultation times for routine appointments to 15 minutes to deal with ever increasing complexity and shift of work from hospital to GP already occuring. Are they really expecting us to deal with Mrs Age 77 With Parkinsons, on warfarin for AF, depression, CHD, worried about her demented husband, flu jab, diet advice etc etc. This is not an atypical Monday AM case by any means. British GPs are among the most efficient and cost effective in the world. These people have NO IDEA how we work.

Did the report suggest euthanising everyone over the age of 65 as a cost cutting exercise? Absolutely frigntening and loony! I suppose the consultancy company was paid 1M for such advice.

I was just about to question the date, when I have seen a similar comment. What is this latest laughable proposal? How on earth is this to be implemented? Is the reality that we will be required to see more patients per surgery, but their needs and expectations will remain the same and covertly our day will be lengthened. Or are we to expect a cut in bureaucracy accompanying our appointments and referrals to free up that time? I can't wait to read the small print, if indeed it exists.

I am not surprised, given that the report on which these statements are based comes from McKinsey's. They are only interested in what can be measured and controlled. They have no interest in the relational side of a consultation and the value therein as this cannot be quantified. Until the relational side of consultations is valued and we get the stories of patient experience hammered into the heads of 'the management' we will continue to get these idiotic ideas put forward.

This is insane! Once again, so-called management consultants propose a completely ridiculous and unworkable 'solution' to the 'problem' of financial cuts in NHS and general practice in particular. British general practice is heading towards disaster and, of course, an eventual blame game will follow. Who loses? Patients will... and the 'profession' will be squeezed to death.

How about cutting down on billions spent each year on a vast army of bureaucrats and managers and quangos! And culling other white elephants like the IT scheme flop and Darzi centres etc on which billions have been wasted without any significant healthcare benefit to any!

I do not believe it! How can any part of the NHS be allowed to entertain a company like McKinsey, probably the the most expensive company of its kind, in the world, to provide solutions for saving money. Do we not have anyone bright enough from within the NHS, where a similar scenario occurred only a few years ago? You remember, when all the PCTs and SHAs had to be revamped...

I planned to work until 65. Unfortunately the stress of general practice has already become too much so I am retiring in 2 months age 55. I know that my younger colleagues are also feeling the pressure. Reduce consultations by 33% and watch the service disintegrate.