A local healthcare provider has laid bare the pressures facing GP surgeries saying there is an ‘Amazon-culture’ among patients who demand an immediate service.
Dr Brendan Kennedy, from Modality Partnership, was speaking at a meeting of councillors in Skipton yesterday when he discussed the state of primary care across the country.
Modality Partnership runs 10 GP surgeries in Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven including Fisher Medical Centre in Skipton, Silsden Surgery and Steeton Health Centre.
Dr Kennedy warned investment is needed from government to ensure patients can still access the levels of service they have come to expect.
He said: “Two practices are closing a week and one in 10 are on an NHS waiting list. The number of GPs is going down and the population is rising. The average age of a doctor leaving the profession is just 38.”
Dr Kennedy also said GPs are struggling to retain reception staff due to abuse from members of the public.
He added: “Reception staff are our frontline and they get a significant amount of abuse. They do not hang around and they’ll say I can go work at Aldi and won’t get the abuse. The public need to be kind.”
Senior figures from Modality addressed councillors regarding its controversial online booking system that was introduced to patients in April 2023.
The company has faced complaints from older and vulnerable patients who have found it difficult to use.
Lois Brown, Modality’s senior transformation manager, said it was now seeing improvements across its GP practices. She called the previous telephone booking system “a lottery”.
Ms Brown said: “There is now more equality of access. The phone system could have 50 people in the queue when there would be a very poorly person at number 48 and they wouldn’t get an appointment.”
Councillors said while they were still receiving some complaints from residents about the new booking system, they were far lower than last year.
Cllr Richard Foster (Conservative, Wharfedale) said Modality should have done a better job communicating the changes to patients. He said: “I get you brought in the new system but you didn’t bring the public with you.”
Modality patient Cllr Robert Heseltine (Conservative & Independents Group, Skipton East & South) spoke about a recent health emergency he faced and said he was grateful for the care he received from his local GP in Skipton.
Cllr Heseltine said: “I have a new lease of life and intend to make most of it. You are improving but by God, you must keep it up. Your patients have nowhere else to turn.”
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