GP appointments surge by 4m as NHS loses tons of of GPs
The complete-time equal (FTE), totally certified GP workforce fell to 27,769 in March 2022 - down 369 in contrast with the identical month in 2021, official knowledge from NHS Digital present. Information on appointments - excluding COVID-19 vaccination work - present that this depleted workforce is managing a pointy rise in demand, with practices delivering a complete of 29,670,000 appointments in March this 12 months, 9% above the whole for a similar month in 2021. Appointments for March this 12 months have been up greater than 4m in contrast with February. The figures imply that normal observe delivered 10% extra appointments per FTE fully-qualified GP this March in contrast with March 2021. This large surge in demand got here at a time when many GP practices have been reporting workforces considerably depleted by COVID-19 absences. GP workforce BMA England GP committee deputy chair Dr Kieran Sharrock mentioned: 'Final month appointments i...