GP survey finds time pressures constrain NHS prevention drive
Three-quarters of surveyed family doctors said they lack time for preventive care, including detailed lifestyle advice and vaccinations.
A Royal College of GPs survey of 2,316 doctors across the UK found that 75% said they had too little time to provide preventive healthcare. The college said pressure from demand and short appointments can limit in-depth conversations about staying well.
RCGP president Victoria Tzortziou Brown said consultations often have to prioritise the immediate problem a patient brings in. While GPs continue to provide preventive care, she said, there is not always time to discuss a patient’s circumstances and longer-term health in depth.
The findings raise questions about the UK government’s ten-year plan to shift the NHS towards prevention. The RCGP says more GPs and more time with patients are needed to support that ambition.
King’s Fund chief executive Sarah Woolnough said the time pressures could mean opportunities to identify conditions earlier are missed. Her comments were an assessment of the survey’s implications; the figures themselves report GPs’ views on available time.
In a separate survey commissioned by the RCGP, 64% of 2,000 UK voters said they trusted GPs for healthy-living advice. The supplied material did not include the survey’s methodology details.
