Patients have been submitting claims for life-threatening conditions in non-urgent forms following changes to online access to GP surgeries, GPs have said.
From 1 October, general practices in England are required to keep an online consultation platform open during working hours for non-urgent appointment requests, medication questions and carer issues.
However, the family doctors said pulse They have received reports of patients experiencing breathing problems, rectal bleeding, and severe vomiting through these forms, which are designed for non-emergencies.
A new survey of 431 GPs and practice managers, carried out by pulsefound that more than two-thirds (67 percent) were concerned about patient safety since the change.
Dr Caroline Deleuze, a GP partner in Norfolk, said she had a clinical question about a six-week-old baby with a growing red mass and another about a five-week-old who was lethargic and vomiting.
Another patient, who filled out a non-emergency medical form saying he couldn’t breathe, managed to get to A&E, but could have waited longer, according to Dr Deleuze.
“It’s on a form that’s apparently non-urgent — it could have sat there while we unsecured the 70 other forms we had to review,” he said.
![One patient filled out a non-urgent medical form and said he couldn't breathe [file photo]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/09/06/14/newFile-3.jpg)
“We had someone vomiting blood all weekend, Monday morning, through a change of address manager form. I think there’s probably a level of expectation of health literacy in policymakers that isn’t there for everyone on the ground.”
A GP from the West Midlands said the change had increased demand for staff.
they said pulse: “We do 340 to 400 medical triages on Monday, and 200 to 300 on other days. It’s too much and unsafe. Patients are dealt with quickly, often through more symptom questionnaires, but it wears us out.
When 5pm rolls around and management needs to be done, it’s hard to focus on infectious, suicidal or end-of-life patients trying to prioritize among all the questions that affect us.
Another GP warned: “Processing online applications and triage after an intensive 13-hour clinical day is unsafe and unsustainable.”
It comes after the British Medical Association (BMA) fell out with the government over changes to online access. The union argues that no special measures have been put in place to support the change and no additional staff have been hired to handle requests.
It claims this could put patient safety at risk as staff struggle to identify the most urgent cases, amid concerns online applications are taking too long to process.
Dr David Wrigley, deputy chair of the BMA’s general practice committee, said: “It is deeply concerning – and sadly not surprising – that GPs are concerned about patient safety as a result of these contract changes.
We have repeatedly warned the government over the past six months that allowing unlimited online consultation requests without the necessary safeguards or additional resources would overwhelm already prepared teams, divert doctors from face-to-face appointments and risk missing urgent cases.
“Public practice is not against the use of technology and has embraced it for more than 30 years, but innovation without safeguards is dangerous. We believe this new initiative poses a significant risk to patients and our medical teams, and the government must provide the support it committed to in February.”
Dr Amanda Doyle, national director of primary care and social services at NHS England, said: “It is right that patients can contact their GP online – in addition to the phone and walking – which is why the BMA General Committee agreed in February. In many centers that already provide this service, patient satisfaction is higher.
“Patient safety remains our priority and guidance and support are in place to help them develop the necessary safety measures for urgent clinical applications.”
