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NHS A&E departments 'left unsafe by political meddling' | NHS A&E departments 'left unsafe by political meddling' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Family doctors are not prepared to shore up an emergency healthcare system left unsafe by "political meddling", a GP has warned. | |
British Medical Association GP chairman Dr Laurence Buckman has given a speech pointing out the problems that lead to overstretched hospital A&E departments. | |
He accused Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt of being more interested in bashing doctors and spouting "rubbish". | |
It comes as Mr Hunt prepares to unveil plans for a chief inspector of GPs. | It comes as Mr Hunt prepares to unveil plans for a chief inspector of GPs. |
The health secretary will set out the measure in a speech - trailed widely in advance - he is making at the King's Fund in London. | The health secretary will set out the measure in a speech - trailed widely in advance - he is making at the King's Fund in London. |
Mr Hunt is expected to paint a picture of dysfunction across the GP sector, saying they are struggling to cope with demand. | Mr Hunt is expected to paint a picture of dysfunction across the GP sector, saying they are struggling to cope with demand. |
He said: "We've turned GP practices into places where it's a daily challenge for receptionists to cope with huge call volumes and GPs to get through to all the people they need to see." | |
'Spout rubbish' | 'Spout rubbish' |
The health secretary has this week also been critical of the GP out-of-hours arrangements, saying the public has lost confidence with the system - provided now largely by agencies. | The health secretary has this week also been critical of the GP out-of-hours arrangements, saying the public has lost confidence with the system - provided now largely by agencies. |
The chief inspector post will be accompanied by a tougher regulation regime, which he hopes will drive up standards. | The chief inspector post will be accompanied by a tougher regulation regime, which he hopes will drive up standards. |
But Dr Buckman, in his own speech to the BMA's annual GPs conference, argued there is no evidence that the system - set up in 2004 - has been a major factor in the rising pressure being place on A&E units. | |
He told doctors at the event, also being held in London, that Mr Hunt has "continued to spout rubbish". | |
Dr Buckman added: "He [Mr Hunt] does not want to bother with the facts when he can have a bash at those of us who on his own admission are overworked and strained beyond endurance. | |
"GPs are not prepared to shore up a system that has been rendered unsafe by unwise political meddling." | "GPs are not prepared to shore up a system that has been rendered unsafe by unwise political meddling." |
Dr Buckman highlighted changes that have seen the introduction of a non-emergency 111 phone line to replace NHS Direct. | |
There have been reports of people struggling to get through as well as poor advice being given that has led to patients being sent to A&E for trivial reasons. | There have been reports of people struggling to get through as well as poor advice being given that has led to patients being sent to A&E for trivial reasons. |
Dr Buckman said: "Now we have the dreadful spectacle of patients suffering due to a failure to implement NHS 111 properly." |
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