rage at poor access to Birmingham GP's

Taking the p*ss- Rage at Birmingham GP access

Josh Horritt - Local Democracy Reporter | Wednesday 29th June 2022 3:22pm

Access to GP services for those from poor or ethnic minority backgrounds in Birmingham is “like getting blood out of a stone” according to local residents. 

The complaints follow a report by Healthwatch Birmingham which found that 67% of the 457 Google reviews of 48 GP practices in Birmingham was negative, 25% was positive and 8% was mixed. 

The report which looks at the period from April 2021 to January 2022, cites problems booking appointments on the telephone or online and difficulties getting face-to-face appointments. Many also complained about long waiting times. 

A move away from face-to-face GP access to a system reliant on telephone, video and online consultation has impacted negatively on the majority of patients they heard from. 

Eighty-one per cent of feedback used in the report came from more deprived areas. Healthwatch claims “this shows that more people in deprived areas have poorer experiences of access and consequently poorer health outcomes.”

This matches the Nuffield Trust's findings that those living in deprived areas have worse experiences of making GP appointments, experience worse quality of care and poorer health outcomes. 

In response to the report, Birmingham and Solihull NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (BSol CCG ) said that problems associated with the Covid 19 pandemic had been “significant” and that they are constantly adapting.

Mr Abdul Ghafoor, who previously worked to raise awareness about health authority services, took part in the survey by Healthwatch. He spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting team and said services need to “pull up their socks and do the job they are paid for.” 

Mr Ghafoor said: “I know there was Covid-19, but the GP surgeries, particularly the receptions are taking the p*ss.

“It was like getting blood out of a stone to get an appointment. It took me three weeks, and I was really, really angry with them. 

“Every time I rang them they said, oh, all the appointments have gone? I said how can you do that? Within 10 minutes? How can you distribute all the appointments? I cannot believe that, this is out of this world. 

Healthwatch heard that many patients are expected to call up during a certain time period with appointments only available for that day. Mr Ghafoor said: “it's ludicrous, people are busy with their own lives”

“We are instructed by the GP to get the appointment on the day people ring. I mean, this is ridiculous.

“Imagine if there is a person who's from an ethnic minority community whose English isn't brilliant and is not very good at dialling phones. Do you think they're going to get the appointment? If they ask their grandchildren or their children, I mean, people are working, they are busy in their own lives.

“These people are just sitting in the office, and they're not, they're not actually doing what they're supposed to do, they need to pull their socks up”

Mrs Shasita Ghafoor who has fibromyalgia, a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body said that she had tried to call over 300 times before she got an appointment. 

She said: “The problem is that there is a fixed time of 8am in the morning when we have to call up and if you miss that slot then you won't get an appointment for that day.

“I've called up over 300 times before getting an appointment. I'm 40 years old and I have a condition called fibromyalgia which means that sometimes I urgently need morphine or I cannot walk. I also have anxiety. 

Mrs Ghafoor also echoed statements about the trouble those from non-English speaking backgrounds can have when trying to access GP services. 

She said: “We are privileged because we speak English very well but for those who might be from India or Pakistan and might not speak English so well, especially if their children are at University, it's just impossible to get an appointment.

“We have a neighbour who is from Africa and she doesn't speak English and we have to call up for her.”

But Healthwatch Birmingham does recognise that primary care has been under immense pressure throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Richard Burden, Chair of Healthwatch Birmingham said: “We know how hard primary care staff are working to provide more appointment slots across extended hours. Yet many patients struggle to see a GP in a way which suits their needs. The feedback Healthwatch Birmingham has analysed indicates variations in the experiences of locals.

BSol CCG pointed out that there has been a 6% increase in the proportion of patient appointments being offered on the same day compared to figures in March 2019.

Dr Clara Day, Designate Chief Medical Officer, NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board said: “We are committed to continuing this work in partnership with Healthwatch to support improvements in access and patient understanding and engagement.”

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