Coronavirus: Thousands of patients could lose the ability to see their GP because of virus fears

Hundreds of thousands of NHS patients could lose the ability to see their GP face to face because their doctors may have to protect themselves from coronavirus.

An analysis by the Health Foundation charity has found around a third of GPs who run their practice on their own are at high risk from the virus themselves.

If they are forced to abandon face-to-face consultations the charity warned it could deny 710,000 patients access to their doctor.

This will disproportionately affect the most deprived areas of England, with GPs most at risk from the virus more than four times as likely to be working in a deprived area.

London may be particularly affected if GPs at high risk from Covid-19 restrict patient access. The capital has higher proportions of GPs at very high risk from the disease and of single-handed GP surgeries that are also run by a GP at very high risk.

Across England, 3,632 GPs out of a total of more than 45,000 are thought to be at high risk themselves if they catch the virus. NHS England has said staff who are at risk from the disease should be protected, including avoiding face-to-face patient contact.

Almost one in 10 GP practices, 639 out of 6,771, are run by a single GP. These practices serve almost 2.5 million patients in England.

Of these around a third, 209 practices, are run by a GP deemed to be at high risk from the virus due to their age, sex and ethnicity.

During the pandemic death rates have been higher among black and minority ethnic people, and a majority of deaths in health care workers have been among black and minority ethnic staff.

During the Covid-19 crisis, many GPs have shifted to virtual consultations with patients but GPs are still meeting some people face to face where it is clinically necessary.

Dr Rebecca Fisher, senior policy fellow at the Health Foundation and a GP said: “The ongoing risk of Covid-19 to the safety of both patients and GPs means hundreds of thousands of people may find it much harder to get a face-to-face GP appointment.

“It’s particularly worrying that GPs at higher risk from Covid-19 are far more likely to be working in areas of high deprivation. Those are precisely the areas with the greatest health need, the biggest burden from Covid-19, and an existing under-supply of GPs relative to need. Unless urgent action is taken this could become another way in which poorer communities become further disadvantaged, and risks further widening health inequalities.”

The Health Foundation said NHS clinical commissioning groups, which organise and pay for local health services, should make sure where gaps emerge arrangements are made to maintain face-to-face appointments with GPs cross covering for their colleagues.

The Health Foundation study said: “We do not know how many of these GPs will in practice choose to step away from direct patient contact, and how this may vary over time. Further work is required to track what actually happens, and the effect on patient care of a possible reduction in the number of GPs able to consult face to face.”

It added that money needed to be made available for GPs to pay for extra locum staff to fill any gaps and maintain patient services.

NHS England was approached for comment.