It is possible that the government’s call for more face to face GP appointments may be dropped as family physicians become the forefront of the UK’s vast booster drive.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS England’s chief executive, said she is looking at how GPs can ‘deliver even more jabs by cutting other burdens on them’.
Ministers have been advocating for more doctor-in-person consultations. These are still five times lower than the pre-pandemic level.
In an effort to protect against Omicron, the GPs now expect to provide booster jabs.
Doctors and community pharmacists have dished out ‘the lion’s share of the vaccinations so far’ and they will be paid £15 per jab they dish out over the next two months, Ms Pritchard said.
It will probably mean that patients may see fewer GPs face to face, as they are now running at just a fifth the level of pre-pandemic.
Boris Johnson, who was present today to unveil the stepped-up booster drive that will protect the country against Omicron after another eight cases were discovered in England, revealed the plan.
The plans include opening up more vaccine centres, drafting the Army and recruiting thousands of volunteers for the rollout.
Today, Ms Pritchard, along with the Prime Minister and Health secretary Sajid Javid spoke at a Downing Street Press Conference. She said that ‘our hard-working community pharmacists, GPs, and primary care colleagues have provided the majority of vaccinations. We are looking at how we can help them deliver even more jabs by cutting other burdens on them to free up clinicians’ time’
This afternoon, Ms Pritchard, along with the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary Sajid Javid spoke out at a Downing Street conference.
‘We are looking at how we can help them deliver even more jabs by cutting other burdens on them to free up clinicians’ time.
‘And we will ensure they are properly rewarded for their efforts, particularly when they take time to visit vulnerable housebound patients who can’t travel to vaccination sites.’
GPs will get £15 for every injection they administer – up from the current £12.58 fee.
Doctors and pharmacists will also get a £5 bonus per shot if they do on Sundays, as well as a £30 premium for jabs delivered vulnerable people in their homes.
And the Care Quality Commission, the regulator for health and social care services in England, will stop routinely inspecting general practice ‘to free up clinicians’ time’, Ms Pritchard said.
The rollout of the program will reduce the number of face-to-face appointments for GPs, who are currently running at about half the levels before the outbreak.
NHS England data showed that 64% of October’s GP visits were face-to–face, compared with 89% before the pandemic.
Mr Javid announced a £250million package for GP surgeries last month to help doctors offer more in-person consultations.
However, doctors rejected plans that included ‘naming and Shaming’ of practices which did not provide sufficient numbers.
Although doctors say that virtual consultations are preferred by some patients because it is more convenient, there have been reports about vulnerable individuals not being able to access the information they need.
Coroners warn that distant appointments could have led to death.
According to one NHS executive, getting GPs involved in the vaccine rollout is a’very big ask’. He added that it was extremely challenging to reach the January goal due to the lack of volunteers, medics and other facilities following the closure of a third the number of centres.
And a GP practice manager tweeted: ‘Cash won’t make much difference, it’s the workload & workforce that’s the problem. It’s not only the jabbers, but also the backroom engine that tracks and calls patients, organises rotas, sorts logistics, etc.
18 million Britons have already had booster jabs. After yesterday’s guidance, 53 million people over the age of 18 will soon be eligible. If everyone is given a booster at the current rate (2.4 million per week), it will take them until March.
The Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps combat medics vaccinate the general public in a quick vaccination centre. This was set up near Bolton Town Hall last June. NHS leaders are said to demanding them back to help with the current rush for boosters
Chair of BMA England GP committee Dr Farah Jamel stated that routine blood pressure check should not be considered urgent. These contracts are binding on us. Since months we’ve been calling for it to be lifted. She stated that they are a “burnt out workforce”.
We are asking for a change in our clinical priorities. It is impossible to deliver all. The focus must be on medical need. Right now, we need to focus our efforts on the massive implementation of a booster and vaccination program. It is possible, but it seems that we have been distracted by other priorities. It is important that we are released from our contractual obligations’.
“There’s an obsession with impossible targets,” she said. All our contractual targets have been switched off since April, which correlates to practices quitting the vaccine scheme due to a lack of workers.
Announcing the new booster plans today, the Prime Minister revealed he is drafting in the Army again to get jabs in arms, as he promised to deliver another ‘great British vaccination effort’.
Additionally, the government is recruiting 10,000 more vaccine volunteers as well as ‘tens to thousands’ of volunteers for its mammoth drive.
According to Mr Johnson, new vaccine centres would be “popping up like Christmas trees” according to the Downing Street Briefing.
Because Omicron is a more evolved strain, scientists have warned that boosters won’t provide the same protection as Delta.
There have been 22 Omicron cases in the UK. New infections were discovered today in Haringey, Liverpool, North Norfolk, and Barnet.
No10 hopes the immunity boost will offer some additional protection against this variant.
Sajid Javid, Health Secretary, said that the Government had set “hugely ambitious goals and we are asking for a lot from the NHS”.
He stated, “But I don’t doubt that they’ll rise to the challenge as they’ve done during this pandemic,”
According to Mr Javid, everyone plays a role in the national mission and we must all ‘roll up and be protected whenever the opportunity arises’ for the best Christmas possible with loved ones.