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London patients have the worst access to GPs
Sophie Goodchild, Health Editor16 Oct 2008
PATIENTS in London have the worst access to GPs than anywhere else in the country, it was revealed yestderay.
Government guidelines state the sick should be able to visit a doctor within two working days. Yet Kingston is the only London trust where surgeries are seeing patients within this time.
More than half of health trusts 17 out of 31 in the capital are failing to meet the 48-hour target.
They include Westminster, Islington and Hammersmith and Fulham primary care trusts. This lottery over GP access is highlighted by health watchdog the Healthcare Commission (HC) in its annual NHS "Healthcheck".
Its report provides the most comprehensive rating of healthcare services ever undertaken. This is the first year the HC has polled patients on how easy it is for them to visit a doctor.
Poor levels of breast cancer screening and failure on waiting time targets are also to blame for London and the South East coming bottom in the country overall on health performance.
A gap has developed for the first time between London trusts and the other 318 around the country.
Only 12 out of 73 London trusts scored excellent for quality of services 16 per cent compared with a national average of 28 per cent.
Six trusts scored "double weak" and two of these are in London Brent Teaching Primary Care Trust and the Royal National Othopaedic Hospital NHS Trust.
Anna Walker, HC chief executive, said NHS London was taking steps to improve healthcare in the capital.
But she warned more action was needed to increase GP numbers, reconfigure failing hospitals and get Primary Care Trusts working together on commissioning services.
She said: "The issues that have brought London's performance down are access to GPs, access to breast screening, hospital waiting times and A&E performance."
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley blamed new health reforms, such as plans for supersurgeries for the capital's poor healthcare performance.
He said: "NHS London's recent obsession with imposing polyclinics on local communities and shutting down A&E and maternity units has meant it's taken its eye off the ball."
lThe Royal Marsden was awarded a "double excellent" for three years running the only trust in the country to achieve this rating. Health secretary Alan Johnson sent the hospital a personal letter of congratulation. Earlier this year, the hospital was severely damaged after a major fire.
Reader views (4)
We recently moved one mile or so away, within the same borough. I thought I was being very organised and notified our GP's office. The rang to tell me that we are no longer in the catchment area and would have to register somewhere else. After years of attending the same surgery, we thought it unfair that our age (67 and 65) we should have to get used to different doctors. Still, we found another surgery and registered without any problem. I was amazed at the lack of control. ANYBODY can register; no questions asked. No wonder it is difficult to get appointments, people who have paid NI contributions all their lives are exactly in the same position as Joe Bloggs who could have arrived this morning from anywhere in the world. There is a notice at the new surgery which reads "Please note that appointments are for 10 minutes". How can a doctor examine a patient properly while watching the clock.
- Beatriz R, London, 16/10/2008 14:06
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Why do we pay such large subsidies to Scotland (to fund their free prescriptions, free primary school means from next year etc.) when our local services are suffering to offer even a mediocre standard of care and service?
Our government seems to consider our capital city and it's normal residents (not the rich ones) as not worthy. Could it be that the dominance of Scottish ministers in our government is part of the problem?
- Peter, Wimbledon, 16/10/2008 11:14
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I dream of being able to get a GP's appointment within 2 days. The last time I tried I was told that I could get a "commuters" appointment 7 days later or a day time appointment a further 3 days after that.
- Keith, Borehamwood, 16/10/2008 10:58
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So basically we in London have the worst schools, healthcare, most expensive transport etc. etc. and pay the most taxes. Why do we continue to put up with this? London Labour MPs should be punished severely at the ballot box.
- Robert C, London UK, 16/10/2008 09:57
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