GP surgery staff who are not doctors may not be able to spot signs of serious illnesses, particularly in children, medics said after concerns were made that GPs are “struggling to find work”. It comes as the British Medical Association (BMA) published a survey of locum GPs that found that many are facing difficulties securing work. The union said it was “ridiculous” that patients are struggling to access care while there are GPs unable to find employment.
Some 1,610 locum GPs in England were asked about their current working situation and more than eight in 10 - 84 per cent - said they had faced difficulties when trying to find work recently while only 16 per cent were content with the amount of work they had been able to secure. Leading medics have raised concerns about the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme – a £1.4 billion funding pot designed to boost GP practice staff including physician associates and pharmacists, but not GPs or practice nurses.
Earlier this week the Royal College of GPs warned that hundreds of GPs have struggled to find work in the last year, with the scheme playing a key part. A locum GP from Dorset told the BMA: “I can’t even find a job because GPs are being replaced by cheaper staff. “I’ve explored countless options within the NHS to no avail so I’m taking up GCSE tutoring to make ends meet.
“After nearly 30 years of service, I’ve been driven out of the NHS by a government scheme that blocks general practice from employin.
