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#GPnews: GPC meets with MPs to warn of ‘unprecedented pressure’

16:15 Elsewhere this afternoon, a new study has found that men with larger waistlines could be at a higher risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. 

Research of 140,000 men from across Europe with an average age of 52, found that every 4in (10cm) increase in waist circumference can increase a man’s chances of developing fatal prostate cancer by 18%, reports the Guardian

The study, by scientists from the University of Oxford, said that the risk of being killed by a ‘fatal strand of the disease’ also increased if a man has a high BMI. 

12:45 A CCG in West London has given the green light to open up two ‘state-of-the-art NHS hubs’ in the area offering seven-day GP appointments. 

Dr Fiona Butler, chair of West London CCG, said the initiative ‘will be popular with patients’. 

Dr Butler added: ‘We are proud to say that our patients now have access to a GP, or a practice nurse, seven days a week, including weekday evenings, at the Violet Melchett Clinic and at the St Charles Integrated Care Centre. 

‘From our conversations with local people, we expect this to be popular, as it provides convenient medical care in a local setting.’

The CCG said patients in the area will now have access to GPs and practice nursing services everyday of the week, located at NHS hubs – which are now accepting referrals for GP and practice nurse appointments. 

11:35  GPC chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul met with MPs last week to warn them of the ‘unprecedented pressure’ facing the profession. 

Dr Nagpaul was invited to join MPs for an afternoon tea at Westminster as part of the BMA’s campaign: Urgent Prescription for General Practice, the Harrow Times reports

He added: ‘GPs across Middlesex and the rest of the UK are facing unprecedented pressure, desperately trying to deliver effective patient care at a time when we are thousands of GPs short with completely inadequate resources to meet increasing demand, especially from our ageing population and care moving out of hospital into the community.

‘Worryingly, nine in 10 GPs have told the BMA that their workload has negatively impacted on the quality of care that they give to their patients, almost one in 10 GP practices across the country believe they are financially unsustainable, and around a third of GPs intend to retire in the next five years.’ 

9:40  A new report published by NHS England has revealed that black and ethnic minority staff working within the NHS are more likely to report being ‘bullied or harrassed’ than their white colleagues. 

NHS chief executive Simon Steven said the results were ‘deeply concerning.’

The first national review of its kind, which looked at all NHS trusts in England, concluded that a higher percentage of BME members of staff than white colleagues reported being harassed, bullied or abused by staff in three quarters of acute trusts, the BBC reports

Mr Stevens added: ‘It confirms that while some employers have got it right, for many others these staff survey results are both deeply concerning and a clear call to action.’