A leading GP is to warn a conference near Newtown that GP services in rural areas face collapsing unless the Government is realistic about seven days a week routine services.
Dr Peter Holden, a special adviser to the BMA General Practitioners Committee on premises, out of hours care and rural matters, says GPs already provide 24/7 emergency cover and always have done.
What changed in 2004 was that responsibility for arranging the cover transferred away from GPs to the Local Health Boards in Wales and Primary Care Trusts in England.
He says the only reason general practice continues to operate is due to the professionalism and dedication of GPs and their staff.
Tomorrow (Tuesday), he will lead a debate about the Government’s proposed seven days a week opening of GP practices for routine care on the eve of the annual Rural Primary Care conference at Gregynog Hall, Tregynon, near Newtown.
The conference will bring together rural GPs, trainee doctors, practice nurses and managers from across Wales and England.
“General practice is currently functioning only because of the professionalism and dedication of doctors, nurses and staff, but the daytime pressures, let alone those out of hours, are becoming impossible and therefore not sustainable in the long term,” said Dr Holden, who has been a GP for 32 years.
This year’s Rural Primary Care conference, organised by Montgomeryshire Medical Society (MMS), will cover topics including Ebola and other pandemics, obesity management and sexually transmitted disease resistance.
Other topics to be covered by speakers at the three-day event include the diagnosis and management of allergies and nose and sinus diseases, radiology and spirometry in primary care, managing rural trauma, integrating endocardiogram and heart failure services in the community, end of life care planning, minor surgery, diabetes, the hip joint and familial hypercholesterolaemia.
Because MMS considers the event to be such a valuable learning experience, trainee doctors are able to attend at a reduced rate. For more information and to book a place at the conference contact organiser Ann Whale at email: ann.whale@wales.nhs.uk or telephone 07815 504764 or book online at www.ruralprimarycareconference.co.uk
