Birchington Medical Centre 2020-09-21 Person 1 5 0

The phone answered in less than 15 minutes and getting a GP appointment in less than 3 weeks at this practice has always been a challenge. Covid 19 and the move to "a digital practice" further reduces the opportunity for any timely contact with a clinician. A 3 week wait for a telephone consultation now appears to be standard. F2F communication allows for a better exchange of information since both speaker and listener are able to see and interpret body language and facial expressions, patients need this when they have concerns about their health. The reception staff do their best but are now gatekeepers rather than facilitators to patient care. I have no idea if the surgery is clean as I have not had the opportunity to go in

Follow the advice from RCGP chair Professor Martin - https://www.gponline.com/shift-away-face-to-face-gp-care-pandemic-dangerous-warns-rcgp-chair/article/1683171 regarding the need for F2F consultations and fulfil your duty to offer F2F appointments to patients rather than making it as difficult as possible BBC News online 17 September 2020 Earlier this week NHS England wrote to every GP surgery in the country to remind practitioners they had a duty to also offer face-to-face appointments as it was feared many with serious conditions were being missed