GP access to 'get worse' – Dunn

LARNE GP Dr Brian Dunn has warned that access to a family doctor is likely to become more difficult as a result of the patient experience survey currently being carried out by Department of Health.

By The Newsroom

Published 23rd Mar 2010, 10:53 BST

Updated 23rd Mar 2010, 11:32 BST

The letter accompanying the survey tells patients that the outcomes of the exercise will help improve general practice.

However, Dr Dunn, who is chairman of the BMA’s Northern Ireland General Practitioner Committee, said this was not likely to be the case.

“Despite the fact that many practices will score highly, the outcomes of this survey are likely to result, once again, with the removal of funding from local family doctors,” he said.

“I simply don’t know how removing funds will improve general practice”.

Dr Dunn told the annual conference of family doctors in Fermanag: “Practices already providing good access are rapidly becoming disillusioned”.