Senior medical figures have issued a stark defence of general practitioners, arguing that the crisis in England's Accident and Emergency departments is not due to a failure in primary care but stems from a critical shortage of hospital beds and a decade-long decline in GP numbers.
GP Productivity at Record Highs Amid Unprecedented Pressure
Dr Katie Bramall, Chair of the General Practice Committee for England at the British Medical Association (BMA), has strongly refuted suggestions that GPs are to blame for rising A&E attendances for minor ailments. She points to record productivity, with 250,000 more GP practice appointments delivered daily compared to 2019 levels, despite the system facing unsustainable pressures.
The core issue, according to Dr Bramall, is the systemic blockage caused by a fall in the number of inpatient beds, which prevents the smooth flow of patients through A&E and into wards. She revealed a startling statistic: just 65 additional GPs could have delivered the 1.9 million appointments for headache sufferers who instead went to A&E over the last five years.
A Decade of Decline in GP Numbers and Funding
The data paints a concerning picture for the backbone of the NHS. Dr Bramall highlighted that England is still 750 GPs short of where it stood ten years ago. Furthermore, funding remains a critical issue, with general practice receiving only 34p per patient per day to deliver care.
While the government promotes its new "neighbourhood" model of care, Dr Bramall warned that without a significant increase in both GP numbers and direct funding, patients will not see any meaningful improvement in access or service.
A Call for Public Responsibility and Common Sense
Echoing concerns about system misuse, a separate letter from retired NHS worker Jennifer Redshaw of St Neots, Cambridgeshire, called for a societal reckoning. Born in 1948, Redshaw argues it is time the public stopped reflexively blaming the government, funding, or staff and "took a long hard look in the mirror."
She expressed despair at the culture of blame, pointing instead to the two million unnecessary A&E attendances and the huge volume of GP appointments that are booked but never used. Redshaw questioned why society has become seemingly "inadequate" at taking basic responsibility for minor health issues, recalling a time before the NHS when her parents had no access to medical care.
The combined messages from a leading medical representative and a long-term NHS observer underscore a multifaceted crisis: a primary care service stretched by a decade of under-resourcing, a secondary care system gummed up by lack of beds, and a growing debate about public responsibility in using vital health services appropriately.
