Cloud technology could be the answer to the current pressures on GPs, according to new research from cloud communications provider Sesui.
Cloud tech
The Flexible working for GPs report includes opinions from 101 UK doctors and interviews with thought leaders across the NHS.
The report emphasises the strains that GPs are currently under – one in five feel that their current work life balance is poor and almost half (49%) believe current demands are unsustainable.
The current pressures mean that the NHS is struggling to retain the number of GPs it currently has. A survey by the British Medical Association in 2017 found that 31% of GP partners found it difficult to fill vacancies and only 13% stated they did not need to fill a gap in their workforce.
The problem is likely to escalate; a third of GPs are expected to retire by 2020 and fewer young doctors are entering into the profession. More so, by March 2018, half of NHS 111 calls will need to receive clinical assessment. GPs are likely to face even more pressure next year with evening and weekends appointments expected to be available to the UK public.
Dr Taz Aldawoud, Bradford GP and board member for the NHS Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group explains the issue: “The problem is that there’s a significant skew in the age range of the GPs who are currently working, with many close to retirement. So, despite the headcount going up with recent recruitment drives, our whole-time equivalent numbers are flat, which is putting more GPs under strain. Unsurprisingly many are then dropping sessions, moving abroad to practice or worse, leaving general practice altogether. We simply can’t afford to lose these valuable skills.”
Sesui states that cloud technology could be the answer to the NHS’ GP problem. With 83% of the survey’s respondents calling on solutions to help their work life balance, cloud technology could offer them a way to treat some patients from the comfort of their home.
The report argues that GPs who wish to use cloud technology should be able to do so to benefit their work life balance. Not only this, many doctors believe that patients would benefit if they were able to work from home on more occasions. Of the 101 doctors included in the report, 48% said they would be able to provide more personalised care, 43% believe they would be able to spend more time with patients and 42% think it would reduce waiting times.
More so, certain GP practices have already started to implement cloud telephone services to improve the patient experience and help GPs cover more appointments. For instance, North London practice Jai Medical Centre has implemented Sesui’s cloud-based telephone system allowing it to answer 75% of patient calls within 60 seconds. GPs at the practice can also access patients records from home and Jai Medical is looking into offering a telephone service that GPs would cover from home between 8pm and 10pm once a week. The practice hopes that it will amount to an extra 5,000 patient appointments a year.
A panel organised by Sesui tackled questions forwarded over by Digital Health Age about how the NHS could better utilise technology and benefit the GP shortage.
Dr Taz Aldawoud, Bradford GP and creator of Doc Abode, a connected healthcare start-up, said:
“There’s a role for technology to lessen the burden on the NHS so we can try and take some pressure off during this winter crisis. There are a lot of parts within the system that are going wrong and the commonality in all of them is around workforce resourcing. When we talk about the complexity and demand of in-hours work, we have to account for the increased stress that comes with using overworked GPs. To then ask them to work evening shifts, is not only a big ask… it’s a risk for all involved. We need to more effectively match the capacity with demand by allowing multiple providers to work together… an integrated workforce that matches the skills of available clinicians with the needs of the patient at that point in time. With the help of cloud technology, in urgent care we can: achieve a single, integrated, digital care record; flex the capacity of our workforce and align it to patient needs; and use algorithms and data to more effectively predict and meet demand.”
The panel also responded to DHA’s question of how technology can help an over-stretched NHS. You can watch the response from Dr Sam Shah, Director of Digital Development at NHS England below.
