Patients are struggling to navigate the 'maze' of NHS services, according to a new report from the Royal College of GPs and the Patients Association. The report warns that the current system is 'confusing, frustrating and demoralising' for those seeking care.
The organisations describe the NHS as a 'complex web of organisations', making it increasingly difficult for individuals to receive the care they require. This complexity often results in patients feeling rushed during appointments, enduring lengthy waits, experiencing lost referrals, and facing 'unmanageable administrial burdens'.
Patients reported feeling 'left in the dark, not knowing how their referral was progressing or if it had been made at all'. There are currently 6.17 million patients on the NHS waiting list for specialist care.
Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said that general practice is 'the front door to the NHS' but patients feel they are 'opening the front door to a maze'. She noted that GPs spend up to 30 per cent of their time following up on referrals and administrative processes instead of seeing patients.
The organisations have launched a campaign calling for the NHS to be 'truly accessible and navigable for all'. Recommendations include allowing patients to track specialist referrals and simplifying overall access.
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said patients want appointments when they need them, enough time to explain their issues, and the ability to track referrals. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government is 'fixing the front door to the NHS' and has recruited over 2,000 GPs in the last year.
