Commenting on the announcement of the proposed recruitment of 1,000 more GPs this year, Suhailah Mohamed, Head of Practice and Workforce at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, said:
‘Having more GPs will mean that patients can be referred to the services that can help them, such as occupational therapy, faster. This will reduce waiting times and help prevent people reaching crisis point. And with occupational therapists focusing on rehabilitation and keeping people out of hospital, GPs will have more time to spend with patients in their surgeries.
‘However, the government needs to look at the system as a whole in relation to what communities need. Yes, more GPs will help meet the growing demand for services, but we also need more of other professions, like occupational therapists, working in GP surgeries. If every GP surgery had an occupational therapist that people could book appointments to see directly – without needing a GP referral – people would have the support they need sooner. This would help them continue with the activities – or occupations – they want and need to do. And it would reduce the demand for GPs’ time, reduce waiting times for services and the growing pressure on all areas of the NHS.
‘The support of wider health teams in GP surgeries will be particularly important during the upcoming industrial action. Occupational therapists will need to be part of the team to keep some of the functions of a GP surgery going, and prevent the huge backlog impacting patients.
‘Ultimately, being in GP surgeries allows us to focus on prevention and early intervention. It means people living with multiple health conditions or complex needs will be better able to manage their symptoms and reduce the need for hospital and specialist services.’