GPs struggle to take on new patients

Family doctors across London are refusing to take on new patients, leaving thousands of people without access to basic healthcare.

Research published today suggests that one in three London surgeries is so overstretched it cannot take on any more patients.

More than half of all practices in London, 53 per cent, admit they have been forced to close their lists at some point in the past 12 months.

Today doctors warned that the situation was approaching "meltdown" in some areas - with patients forced to travel miles to find a surgery willing to take them on.

The scale of the problem emerged following a survey of 100 GP surgeries across London. Practices were asked whether they were currently accepting new patients, and whether they had closed their list at any point over the past year.

Among the worst affected areas are Bromley, Beckenham, Wembley, Kingsbury, Wimbledon and East Ham.

GPs say the closure of a list at one practice frequently triggers a chain reaction, with neighbouring practices also forced to close their lists

after being swamped by the patients who have been turned away.

North London GP Laurence Buckman, a member of the British Medical Association's GP committee, said: "It is a vicious circle - once one practice closes its lists, others in the area often have to do the same."

GPs say the problem is not linked to an increase in the number of patients visiting doctors' surgeries, but an increase in the workload associated with each patient.

They claim more time is being consumed by red tape, pressure to hit targets, and medical tasks formerly carried out by hospitals, such as minor surgery.

Dr Buckman said: "The Government is asking us to do more and more things for patients, so we cannot fit the same amount of patients into one day. Although we are being paid more per patient, this doesn't give us any more time to see patients."

Health chiefs plan to recruit 2,000 new doctors, and have boosted the GP workforce by 500 since 1997.

However, doctors say many of the new recruits only work part-time, limiting their impact.

The British Medical Association claims 10,000 new doctors are needed to solve the crisis across the country.

Although closed lists are a problem in other parts of the country, the situation is particularly serious in London because of the rapid turnover of patients, which creates extra work for doctors, and because poor transport links and high property prices discourage GPs from working in certain areas.

MP Paul Burstow, a health spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, who carried out the research, said: "These figures are totally unacceptable. It is outrageous that so many Londoners are unable to register with their local doctor.

"The Government has termed GPs the 'gatekeepers' to the NHS, but how are patients to pass through this gateway if access to the gatekeepers is denied?"

Critics warn that while some patients who cannot register with a doctor locally find a GP elsewhere, others are unable to make the required journey.

Mr Burstow said: "It is disgusting that those affected by closed GP lists are some of the most vulnerable. Health problems may be ignored and trips to the doctor postponed because of the difficulties in finding a doctor."