The most vulnerable patients are likely to give up if they have to challenge to be seen, says Dr Adrian Boyle
Elderly and vulnerable patients are at risk from industrial action by GPs, Britain’s most senior A&E doctor has warned.
Dr Adrian Boyle, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, spoke out amid concern that casualty units could become flooded with cases as GP practices cap the number of patients they will see.
Dr Boyle said he was “very anxious” about the impact of the collective action by GPs, which the British Medical Association (BMA) has said aims to bring the NHS “to a standstill”.
He said his greatest concern was for the most vulnerable patients, who were likely to give up if they had to fight to be seen.
Dr Boyle told The Telegraph: “The danger is that it is the most vulnerable who are most excluded - the elderly, those with dementia, people with learning disabilities, those who are least able to advocate for themselves.”
Dr Boyle said: “We are very anxious about what might happen, we just don’t know what will happen.”
Practices have been told they can “pick and choose” from measures designed to wreak chaos across the health service, meaning the situation could vary wildly across the country.
Dr Boyle said: “We are very anxious about what might happen, we just don’t know what will happen.”
Dennis Reed, of Silver Voices, a campaign group for the over-60s, said he was concerned that the elderly and “less sharp-elbowed” patients could end up giving up in their search for help.
He said: “A lot of older people don’t like to pester their GPs anyway and my concern is that those with the weakest voices miss out. They don’t like to make a fuss.”
“A lot of our members say it is already impossible to see a GP if you need to see one quickly - there are waits of weeks, now it could stretch to months.”
“Older people may be less likely to be sharp elbowed than younger patients and my concern is that with fewer appointments to go round, more and more of those who need the NHS most will give up.”
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2024 5:16 am