Following the January 16, 2016 referendum, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union. The decision to leave was made with the people’s consent, who had several expectations from this move. One of the major concerns people had was saving the money being paid to the European Union and using it to develop essential areas within the country, such as the National Health Service(NHS).
Leave the EU to save the NHS
Brexit was a defining moment in the United Kingdom’s history, and one of the slogans used during the campaign was to save the NHS with the money given to Europe.
The amount of money the UK paid to the European Union each year was quite significant, with an average of £7.75 billion per year being paid out between 2016 and 2019. This money was expected to be used to improve the NHS and other essential areas in the country.
After leaving the European Union, the UK has the opportunity to take control of its finances and ensure that the money paid out as membership fees to Europe remains in the country.
This money can be used to fund essential projects and invest in areas that require attention. It is hoped that the UK will use this opportunity to strengthen and develop the NHS, which has been a significant concern for many people in the country.
So, the development of the NHS should be started with that money. But is this happening today? But that is not the case on the surface.
What happened to GP centres
The GP centre, also known as a general practitioner or family doctor, is the first and most crucial level of the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom.
Every resident must first visit a GP centre to avail of NHS services. These centres are usually located in local communities and are the first point of contact for patients with health concerns.
The primary function of GP centres is to provide primary healthcare services, including treatment for common ailments such as coughs, colds, flu, and minor injuries. Additionally, they offer preventive care services, such as vaccinations, health check-ups, and advice on healthy living.
GP centres also manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, and provide referrals to specialists if necessary.
If a patient cannot be treated at a GP centre, they are referred to hospitals, which is the second stage of the NHS. This referral system helps to reduce congestion in hospitals and ensures that patients receive the appropriate level of care.
The primary location is compromised
The GP centre is the first point of contact for patients seeking NHS services in the UK. It provides a wide range of primary healthcare services and helps reduce congestion in hospitals by referring patients who require specialised treatment to the appropriate specialists.
When seeking medical care, patients are typically required to register with a GP centre in their local area.
This involves providing basic information about themselves, such as their name, address, and contact details. Once registered, patients can book appointments whenever they need to by calling the GP centre.
Before Covid-19
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, booking appointments and receiving medical care was relatively straightforward.
Patients could secure an appointment face-to-face with a doctor quickly on the same day or within a few days of calling. Once they arrived at the GP centre on time for their appointment, they could expect to be seen promptly.
However, since the outbreak of the pandemic, this process has become much more challenging. GP centres have had to implement new safety protocols to protect both patients and staff from the virus.
This has resulted in longer waiting times, as each appointment requires additional time for cleaning and disinfecting the examination room. In addition, many GP centres have had to reduce the number of appointments available to comply with social distancing guidelines.
The NHS is very late
As a result, patients are now facing significant delays and difficulties in accessing medical care.
Some have reported waiting weeks or months for an appointment, while others have been forced to seek care from alternative sources such as urgent care clinics or emergency departments.
Despite these challenges, GP centres are doing their best to provide high-quality care while keeping patients and staff safe during this unprecedented time.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in healthcare systems around the world, and general practitioner (GP) centres are no exception.
As the pandemic gradually subsides, GP centres are trying to resume their everyday operations. However, this process has been slow, and GP centres still face challenges returning to their pre-pandemic state.
It isn’t easy to book an appointment
One of the main issues affecting GP centres is the difficulty in booking appointments. Patients are required to make a telephone appointment first, which can be challenging.
Patients may have to wait for several days, and sometimes more than a week, to get a telephone appointment. Additionally, the telephone appointment may take several hours, as the doctor’s given time frame could be long.
This situation has become quite challenging for people who cannot take time off work. Additionally, it is difficult for patients to describe their symptoms accurately over the phone, as not everyone has a medical background.
This can cause miscommunication between the patient and the doctor, which could lead to a misdiagnosis or delayed treatment. For example, a patient may describe their symptoms as a headache, but the doctor may not be able to understand the exact condition the patient is referring to.
A threat to the patient’s life
Despite these challenges, doctors must decide the best course of action based on the patient’s description over the phone. However, a telephone conversation will determine whether the patient will be given a face-to-face appointment or referred to the emergency department.
But now, the COVID epidemic is returning to normal. But still, GP centres are not back to normal. Currently, booking an appointment is very difficult. A telephone appointment should be made first. It is also very difficult.
Sometimes, you have to wait for days. According to this writer’s personal experience, one has to wait for more than a week. Also, the telephone appointment may take several hours. The reason for that is that the time frame given by the doctor may be several hours.
This is when people who go to work find it very difficult. Also, it is not possible for everyone to describe an illness adequately over the phone. This is because not everyone has medical knowledge. For example, the doctor cannot understand over the phone what exactly the condition that a patient is referring to as a headache. This is a severe situation.
However, the doctor should decide on the phone according to the patient’s description. How accurate is this?
However, the telephone conversation will decide whether this patient will be given a face-to-face appointment or referred to the emergency department.
Telephone appointments are a joke
“Would it be possible to convert this telephone call to a video call? A video call would allow the doctor to diagnose the symptoms better and provide a more accurate diagnosis. Additionally, AI technology could be implemented to help analyse the patient’s symptoms.
However, the current situation in GP centres is not ideal, and it would be beneficial for the government to take action to address this issue. By improving the quality of healthcare services, patients can receive better care and treatment for their illnesses.”
The account of a patient’s experience provides a detailed insight into the current challenges of accessing NHS services. The patient in question suffered from excruciating back pain, which rendered her immobile and unable to get out of bed.
In an attempt to seek immediate medical attention, her daughter contacted the ambulance service. However, the service provider informed them they do not send ambulances for such illnesses and advised them to contact the GP.
The patient’s daughter then contacted the GP centre, but they could not secure an appointment for the same day. As a result, the patient had to dial the NHS emergency number. The call took considerable time as the patient had to describe her condition in detail to the operator. Eventually, she was given an appointment at the hospital’s outpatient department.
Despite reporting her condition in the morning, the appointment was scheduled for around five in the evening, causing a significant delay in receiving medical attention. The patient had to endure the pain and struggle to reach the hospital. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, and many patients may have faced similar challenges while accessing NHS services.
Before Brexit, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) provided efficient healthcare services to patients who called for an ambulance. However, this situation has changed since the UK left the European Union. Patients struggle to access the required services, and the government has failed to meet the people’s expectations.
The NHS is on a downward spiral
Despite promises to invest some of the money left over from Brexit in the NHS, the situation has not improved. On the contrary, it has worsened. Patients are finding it increasingly difficult to book appointments with doctors and specialists, and treatment is not as readily available as it once was.
The lack of investment has had a significant impact on the quality of healthcare services provided by the NHS. Patients are left with no choice but to wait for long periods before receiving treatment, which can be detrimental to their health.
In light of this situation, one may question the purpose of having a National Health Service if it cannot provide easy access to quality healthcare services. The government must take urgent steps to address this issue and invest more in the NHS to ensure patients receive the care they require without delay.
