Backing calls from the Royal College of GPs for doctor’s appointments to be extended from 10 minutes to 15 minutes, Dr Anup Mazumdar said he believes longer consultations could prevent the need for rebooking future appointments.
The Royal College of GPs is calling for the change to take place by 2030, but Dr Mazumdar who works in private practice believes that the move could also help to relieve some of the stress on GPs.
The current average length of GP consultations in the UK is 9.2 minutes and it is thought that this length of time does not always allow doctors to fully consult on complex issues.
In fact, data shows that the average consultation only gives doctors enough time to discuss two and a half conditions that a person may have.
Reflecting on the College’s recommendations, Dr Mazumdar said: “GPs are increasingly having to deal with more complex cases often involving several forms of diagnosis and treatment.
“While it may seem that increasing the length of a consultation would increase overall waiting times and reduce the number of appointments, we tend to find that longer consultation times allow patients to discuss more than one issue about their health without having to rebook future consultations, which over time reduces the overall number of appointments.”
Dr Mazumdar works at the Harrow Health Care Centre, a long established private General Practice based in north-west London, which has already set a minimum consultation time of 15 minutes but often offers longer appointments for more complex medical issues.
He added that plans to extend consultation times would “allow more time for patients with difficult medical issues allowing for safer consultations to enable better management and care of patients.”
“Patients often tell us that they feel listened to, less worried that they are taking up too much time and this helps establish a better doctor-patient relationship,” said Dr Mazumdar.
Harrow Health Care Centre believes that taking this approach gives GPs a safer work environment with fewer pressures, more time to focus on their patients and identify their needs and expectations. There is also a greater chance of running to time which is welcomed by both doctor and patient.
A full copy of the Royal College of GPs report can be found here.
