An unprecedented shortage of GPs across Fife is putting lives at risk, as securing an appointment has become “like a mad scramble at the Boxing Day sales”, it has been claimed.
Conservative councillor Linda Holt has highlighted the situation at the Skeith Medical Centre in Anstruther as proof of the precarious nature of health services in the region, revealing a recent retirement had put immense strain on resources.
Appointments for the following week are released at 2pm on a Monday and Wednesday and many patients are reporting lengthy waits for their calls to be answered followed by gaps of several weeks before getting face-to-face contact with a GP.
Sources close to the Anstruther practice have also suggested patients wishing to see the same doctor should expect a much longer wait as the priority is to offer an appointment with any GP, rather than a specific one.
One local mother, who did not want to be named, told The Courier she was forced to phone the surgery 104 times before she could get an appointment for her severely asthmatic son.
That situation is reportedly being replicated across the region, with at least 14 vacancies in Fife for GP positions.
Ms Holt said: “Desperate constituents have contacted me because they cannot get an appointment at Skeith Medical Centre.
“We all know there are not enough GPs to meet the demand for appointments so GP practices are forced to introduce mechanisms for managing that demand.
“In practice, that means making it so difficult to get an appointment that people give up so demand reduces. This is a dangerous and unjust way of rationing healthcare.”
Ms Holt said such booking systems mean it is “virtually impossible” to get an appointment by phone because people who queue in person take precedence.
“This discriminates against people who, for whatever reason, cannot get to the surgery at these times.
“Getting a GP appointment has become like a mad scramble at the Boxing Day sales. It is also inefficient, as the number of missed appointments has soared under this system.
“Helping surgeries like Skeith to find better ways of organising access to primary healthcare should be an absolute priority for NHS Fife and I have written to NHS Fife’s director and Fife Council’s spokesperson for health and social care to ask for an urgent action plan.”
One doctor, who did not want to be named, said the funding received by GPs, per patient per year, is fixed and “realistically enough” for each patient to have two appointments a year.
However, demand is such, the average is now six appointments a year, with some elderly and vulnerable patients seeing a GP more than 15 times a year.
The Skeith practice has been advertising its GP vacancy for more than six months.
Dr Chris McKenna, NHS Fife medical director, said: “We are aware that Skeith Medical Practice is experiencing some difficulties keeping pace with demand due to a recent retirement.
“NHS Fife is working closely with the practice to support their recruitment efforts and assist them in minimising the disruption for patients and staff.
“A highly skilled multi-disciplinary team is also currently working alongside medical staff to ensure the continued delivery of high quality care.
“The practice continually reviews its appointment system to try and best meet the needs of their local population.”
