Portrush GP says "patients are going to suffer" in funding cuts

Doctors fear that the cuts of approximately 10,000 per practice will result in job losses, cuts to services, increased A&E waiting times and admissions to hospital.

They also are concerned that the treatment of diabetes, heart disease and stroke will be severely affected and believe that patients may have to stay longer in hospital

Portrush GP and BMA member Dr Pamela Logue, told the Times: "I have been inundated by family doctors from across the area who are angry, dismayed and disappointed at this cut to frontline services.

"Minister McGimpsey has repeatedly promised to protect frontline health services. If general practice and the services it provides isn't a frontline service then I don't know what is. Patients are going to suffer".

3.6 million has been withdrawn by the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) from the start of this month.

While discretionary budgets have been targeted and the HSCB can legally do so, the BMA warn that the cuts are short-sighted and will ultimately result in higher costs for the health service as a whole.

"This cut to practice funding will decrease the ability of GPs and their staff to maintain the services that patients expect," said Dr Logue.

"General practice is already under severe pressure and instead of being able to take on much needed additional staff, many practices are looking at reducing staff numbers or cutting working hours.

"GPs want to provide as much treatment as possible to people in the community, but this cut may well result in an increase in hospital admissions and a decreased ability of practices to co-operate with schemes that allow shorter hospital stays, leading to increased costs to the health service".

The BMA say it is concerned that the cuts are just the start.

A number of other services including stroke care, treatment of minor injuries, smoking cessation and contraception have only been commissioned until the end of August.