Doctors warn of ‘rationing’ as latest monthly figures show no available appointments for about 400,000 cases Patients are increasingly turning to private healthcare to escape a referrals “black hole”, GPs have warned, as the NHS struggles with a shortfall of available appointments.The most recent figures show GP practices make about 400,000 referrals a month to outpatient clinics that are fully booked. Some patients will be able to choose an alternative provider, some will be booked at a later date, but many end up being bounced back to their local surgery. Continue reading…
Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/aug/25/uk-patients-going-private-to-escape-referrals-black-hole-say-gps
Author : Jon Ungoed-Thomas
Publish date : 2024-08-25 11:00:08
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UK patients going private to escape referrals ‘black hole’, say GPs
