Flight against the prioritisation of access

As someone who rarely requires medical care, apart from the usual female rites of passage such as contraception, childbirth and menopause, I had to access my GP practice last week for an unexpected issue. The access to my GP practice (you know who you are!) was exceptional and I received a phone call within thirty minutes of submitting an on-line consultation, with a face-to-face appointment three hours later.  The irony of this situation is that I am likely to wait many months to consult with someone in secondary care, if the referral is accepted at all. It goes to show how nonsensical it is to focus on two-week access targets in general practice, when patients could wait years for secondary care consultations for their condition. We need to continually fight against the prioritisation of access over continuity of care, as we know the latter reduces referrals, admissions, and even death.

It was great to see many practices represented at our first LMC virtual drop in yesterday and we are planning to repeat these events on a regular basis, as an opportunity for any practice member to engage with Avon LMC. We are keen to hear your current concerns, your thoughts about potential solutions, and how you would like to be represented by us.

“The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety” Felix Mendelssohn


Dr Shaba Nabi
Chair Avon LMC