Practices in Northern Ireland to extend services
Released 25/11/2011
A significant review of the health service in NI is set to recommend that GP practices should offer more services to patients
In a bid to reduce patient referrals to secondary care, a review of health services in Northern Ireland is set to recommend GP practices offer more services for patients in the community to avoid costly treatment at hospitals.
Undertaking the review, Dr Ian Rutter, a Yorkshire-based GP and former clinical advisor to the Department of Health, also encouraged GPs in NI to develop specialisms wherever possible, which is something he's done at his practice in Shipley, near Bradford, where services including dermatology, cardiovascular and geriatric clinics are overseen by specialists.
He said rolling out a similar model in Northern Ireland could take two to three years to allow for GPs to gain the necessary expertise, but in the end, would be better for all.
"I don't think GPs will have to work any longer hours," he told BBC NI, which reported the story.
"I do think they're going to enjoy working in an environment like this because you are not endlessly dealing with people who keep coming back because the system is failing them."
However, practices should not expect extra funds to undertake the project.
"I don't think there are extra funds within the health service," said Dr Tom Black, chairman of the BMA's NI General Practitioners Committee, who nevertheless insisted that the work had to be done.
"Services can't be run the way they have been and we are going to have to work more efficiently, in a different way integrating with hospital services."
Northern Ireland's Health Review is due to be handed to the health minister at the end of this month.
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