A nurse practitioner has written to The Daily mail, expressing her anger at its reporting of the issue surrounding face-to-face appointments with GPs.

Sally Cable, of Barton House Medical Centre in Beaminster, saw the newspaper's front page story on Tuesday, in which it highlights its campaign to improve access to family doctors and states that that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pressuring GPs to offer more in-person consultations.

And Sally wanted to set the record straight, outlining that a GP may not be the most appropriate person to see, the use of digital innovations with many issues able to be diagnosed and managed by telephone, the ongoing effects of the Covid workload as well as the lack of staff and funding.

She said: "I frequently see patients and ask why they did not come to me sooner. The reply is that 'GPs are not seeing anyone'. On asking if they have tried to get an appointment I get, 'no', with the previous reason cited'. When I ask who has told them they cannot get an appointment, I get told, 'the newspapers'.

"I am aware in some circumstances, especially in densely populated areas, patients have had difficulty getting an appointment, but often this has been a long-term problem. Primary care is underfunded, there are less doctors doing GP training than ever before. Why would you train to come into this current climate of constant abuse?"

She added: "I understand that there is, and should be, a culture of free speech but the current representation of general practice by The Daily Mail is vitriolic and harassment of a service on its knees.

"The constant trolling by The Daily Mail means that I often spend a proportion of a valuable face-to-face appointment with a patient expressing unwarranted negative comments about primary care.

"In 2020, there was a lot of clapping for the NHS, I am sure many of your journalists partook in this and likely reported on it. Those claps now feel hollow and worthless."

The Daily Mail has been contacted for a comment.

The letter in full:

Yet again, your front page has a headline and story inciting further hate and disgruntlement against GP practice staff. I can only assume you have no idea what it is like to currently work in a GP practice. Let me enlighten you.

'Firstly, can I inform you that a GP does not work alone but with a multi-professional clinical and administration team to provide and support patient care. So, no someone may not be able to see a GP but that's because the GP is not the most appropriate person to see.

Secondly, many issues can be diagnosed and managed by telephone or remotely. Previously there were no means to submit histories and photos other than a face-to-face appointment but now there is so why should primary care not embrace digital innovations as other areas of business have?

Third, prior to Covid the workload was sustainable, just. Primary care then had to quickly change and adapt to new ways of working which it did as advised by government. Covid has not gone away and so reverting back fully is not possible. It has also provided an opportunity to assess if there are better ways to manage patient access so that the sickest are seen promptly and appropriately.

I frequently see patients and ask why they did not come to see me sooner. The reply is that, 'GPs are not seeing anyone'. On asking if they have tried to get an appointment I get, 'no' with the previous reason cited. When I ask who has told them they cannot get an appointment I get told 'the newspapers.

I am aware in some circumstances, especially in densely populated areas, patients have had difficulty getting an appointment but often this has been a long-term problem. Primary care is underfunded, there are less doctors doing GP training than ever before. Why would you train to come into this current climate of constant abuse?

Fourth, Primary Care Networks were tasked with rolling out the Covid vaccination programme, which started long before the mass vaccination centres started. This was run by clinicians and administration staff who were still having to do their normal jobs. The volunteer workforce needed training by these same staff still working their day jobs and doing the vaccination clinics. The goal posts constantly changed and now we have the upcoming covid boosters yet again heavily involving Primary Care Networks.

Fifth, we are human too and despite being in the early cohorts for vaccination many primary care staff have had Covid or had to self-isolate due to a Covid contact. There is no back up work force so no staff equals no appointments and reduced patient access.

I understand that there is, and should be, a culture of free speech but the current representation of general practice by The Daily Mail is vitriolic and harassment of a service on its knees. Where are the front pages about waiting times for hospital appointments, even those sent as a fast track? Where is the barrage of comments about hospital consultants still having telephone clinics? Where are the comments about other areas of business not running as a client would wish them too such as banking and solicitors?

The constant trolling by The Daily Mail means that I often spend a proportion of a valuable face-to-face appointment with a patient expressing unwarranted negative comments about primary care. I then over run as the patients presenting problem still needs assessing, diagnosing and managing with a mutually agreed treatment plan which all takes time. The following patients are then inconvenienced.

In 2020 there was a lot of clapping for the NHS, I am sure many of your journalists partook in this and likely reported on it. Those claps now feel hollow and worthless.

So how can the situation be improved? Well today's front page story reads that The Daily Mail is campaigning to improve access to family doctors. Does this mean that as an organisation you are going to fund training for new and retainer GPs along with other clinicians within the GP team? Does this mean you will raise the profile of primary care so once again it becomes an attractive area of medicine and nursing to work in? Does this mean you will present a balanced view of primary and secondary care and the challenges presented? Does this mean you will accept positive as well as negative patient experiences and report on them because currently this does not appear to be the case?

I look forward to reading about the realistic and practical innovations your campaign to improve access to family doctors presents.

Yours Sincerely

Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Don't forget to sign up to our newsletter below!

You can submit your own news straight to Bridport Nub News by using the 'Nub It' button on our home page. This can also be done for events on our What's On page and businesses, groups and organisations on our Local Listings page , also by using the 'Nub It' button.

Please like and follow our online newspaper on your favourite social media channel. You can find us @BridportNubNews on Facebook and Twitter.