GPs are treating patients in surgeries with leaking roofs and mouldy walls which has a “huge impact” on care, a leading doctor has said. Dr Margaret Ikpoh, a Yorkshire-based GP and Vice-Chair of the Royal College of GPs, called on the Government to provide immediate extra funding for primary care to fix long-term structural issues at practices around the country. Problems such as not having enough GPs to meet patient need and growing demand for a finite number of appointments regularly make the headlines, but practical difficulties such as these are equally important, she said. Dr Ikpoh told i : “The buildings in which we work have a huge impact on the care and access to care we can provide for patients. But many, across the country, are in a woeful condition and getting worse. “Unlike hospitals, many GP practices aren’t purpose built. A practice will often be in a converted building – many are in old houses – without the investment needed to address the practical difficulties that can come with this. “At my practice in Yorkshire, this problem is all too evident. One of our main sites was acquired in the 60s and has a long list of structural issues including frequent leaks, damp walls and build ups of mould. “We recently refurbished one of our consultation rooms, only to find a huge hidden build-up of mould had formed on one of the walls.” Dr Ikpoh said the problem extended to consultation rooms, many of which are small and cramped which makes it challenging to treat patients. It also means GPs in this situation can only see a certain number of patients each day, as they only have a limited number of private spaces where its safe to conduct an appointment, she explained. “It’s deeply frustrating and worrisome – and it’s far from the standards our patients rightfully expect from a 21st century health service,” she said. Dr Ikpoh pointed to a RCGP report which found that two in five staff members considered their premises not fit for purpose , with 88 per cent of those citing insufficient numbers of consulting rooms and 75 per cent citing insufficient space to take on additional GP trainees. Some GP staff reported that they were having to hold consultations in rooms less than a third of the size of the required standard set out by the Department of Health and Social Care. Yet almost three-quarters of the staff who requested funding to upgrade their premises over the last year were unsuccessful in obtaining it. The same report revealed accounts from GPs stuck using “temporary” PortaKabin extensions for 18 years – even as the walls rot. Dr Ikpoh said: “Poor infrastructure has a knock-on effect. Without enough consultation rooms of adequate size, the number of GPs, nurses or other staff a practice can hire or train is limited. “ At a time when patients are already struggling to make appointments, it’s another barrier for hardworking GP teams striving to deliver timely, safe and appropriate care. “While funding is available, it has become harder to access in recent years, and it is often not sufficient to address the cost rises we are seeing. My practice’s annual heating and light bill has risen by over £40,000 in the past year, a figure not helped by the low-energy efficiency of our listed premise. The amount we’re spending on property repairs and maintenance is in the region of £90,000 per year.” Read Next Inside the UK's ambulance crisis GPs and their teams delivered almost 32.5 million appointments in January – almost 5 million more than in January 2019, yet with 3 per cent fewer fully qualified, full-time equivalent GPs. “We’re being expected to do more with less and worsening conditions are intensifying the crisis in recruitment which is pushing more practices to a point of closure,” Dr Ikpoh said. “Dedicated funding for renovations has not caught up with rising costs and this inevitably means practices have fewer funds to spend on patient care initiatives or hiring additional staff to be able to see more patients. “The Chancellor’s Budget included overdue investment on NHS technology, but no funding to fix our crumbling buildings. With each passing year the situation is becoming worse and we need serious action. “One of the key asks in our recent general
election manifesto is for £2bn worth of funding, not only fix premises but to prepare them for the future. Demand for our services is only going to increase in the coming years and, as it stands, GP infrastructure is not ready to meet the challenge.” The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment. Last week, the RCGP raised concerns about NHS England’s decision to close a visa support service for overseas GPs coming to practise in the country. From 31 May, international medical graduates (IMGs) looking to obtain long-term visas will have to deal directly with the Home Office which risks making the process “more challenging” with the potential to create anxiety and confusion for those affected, the RCGP said. NHS
England said the changes are being made in response to the closure of the Primary Care Workforce Team but support would be available via the Home Office.