End of the family doctor as half of patients now don't see the same GP, study ... trends now
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Family doctors are a 'thing of the past' with only half of patients always or even sometimes able to see the same GP, a study has found.
Critics described the lack of continuity as a 'scandal' that hampers care and forces patients to waste time repeating their medical history on every visit.
According to a poll of 2,339 patients for the Lib Dems, 57 per cent have seen a GP more than once over the past couple of years, with 20 per cent requiring more than five appointments. But only 52 per cent say they 'always' or 'sometimes' saw the same doctor.
Meanwhile 29 per cent said they 'rarely' saw the same medic and 18 per cent 'never' saw the same one – rising to 27 per cent of those aged 65 and over.
This is despite research showing that seeing the same GP helps the elderly avoid hospital admissions and improves the quality of treatment.
A woman speaking to a GP. According to a new poll, Family doctors are a 'thing of the past' with only half of patients always or even sometimes able to
