Health Secretary Steve Barclay claims the plan will ‘end the 8am scramble’ for appointments, but there are fears that it will be harder than ever to see a GP
An army of “care navigators” is being trained to answer phones in GP surgeries and redirect patients elsewhere.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay claims the plan will “end the 8am scramble” for appointments. But there are fears that, with many medics quitting the NHS, it will be harder than ever to see a GP. Old analogue phone systems will be replaced in March by digital systems that tell callers their place in the queue.
It comes as receptionists are inundated with calls. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting, said: “After 13 years in power the only idea the Tories can think up is better hold music. The reality under the Tories is patients find it harder than ever to see a GP.”
GP numbers are at their lowest level since records began in 2015 but extra non-doctor staff are being hired. Some 6,500 care navigators â about one per practice â are being recruited to support GP receptionists, triage callers and redirect to services like chemists.