The British Medical Association (BMA) warns that serious cases could be missed by GPs, and put patients at risk, when new online appointment booking system launches in England on Wednesday
The BBC reports that the new system is being introduced with the aim of allowing patients to make an online request for an on-the-day GP appointment, or call from a clinician, throughout the day. This would reduce the long waits on the phone for patients during the so-called ‘8am scramble’.
This system is already available in several practices around England, but the union has expressed concerns that this type of online system is not equipped to distinguish between urgent and non-urgent cases adequately, risking serious cases being missed or delayed.
There are also concerns that the new system will lead to a possible “online triage tsunami”, due to a lack of additional workforce to provide extra support in response to the higher demand for appointments.
Union leaders have expressed that more safeguards need to be put in place to allow the system to be both effective and manageable. They argue that practices should have the option to switch the online booking system off temporarily in cases of high patient numbers leading to staff being overwhelmed with work.
It’s been warned that should no amendments be made to the scheme, a formal dispute will be declared by the union. This comes with the possibility of a “work to rule” situation which could result in GPs limiting their patient appointments to the minimum which is outlined in their contract.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s rebuttal claims that clear safeguards have already been agreed upon with the union, and that patient interest is the priority. He noted that 2,000 new GPs have been hired across England to help with the additional demand, and that general patient satisfaction has been steadily increasing.
It has also been noted by officials that the surgeries which have already introduced the new system have reported a decrease in patient wait times, suggesting the positive impact the new changes could promise.
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