BMA: Sick patients could be sidelined
Tuesday, 01 Apr 2008 13:24
Sick patients could find it hard to see a GP if the government goes ahead with plans to screen people aged between 40 and 74 for a range of illnesses, according to the British Medical Association (BMA).
The doctors' group said it would like to welcome the plans "as prevention is undoubtedly better than cure" but cannot as it has "serious concerns about the pressure this will put on an already overstretched general practice".
"[Screening] could work out at 40 extra appointments a week – and that's if they only need one appointment," said Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GP committee.
"If the process means they need two or three appointments, to ultimately be told they are fit and healthy, then you're looking at doubling or tripling that number."
He added that there are not enough healthcare workers, time in the day or space in surgeries to carry out this number of consultations.
"At the moment all our appointments are booked up with patients who are in immediate need of medical care," Professor Buckman explained.
"General practices already undertake health assessments for new patients covering things such as height, weight, blood pressure and urine testing. Those patients who are at risk regularly have their vascular risk factors checked including their cholesterol."
The BMA has also questioned the lack of scientific evidence behind the government screening plans.
"To justify healthcare spending on this scale there would need to be very clear evidence that this is both cost and clinically effective," Dr Buckman said.
"There have been no pilot schemes and the models the government is using are theoretical. Inevitably large scale screening will impact on access to services for sick patients."
