Healthcare experts address inequalities in primary care access in London

20th August, London – Leading NHS and charity sector experts meet at City Hall to discuss how to tackle inequalities in primary care access, in the context of a new report by medical charity Doctors of the World which sheds light on worrying GP registration policies which discriminate against some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. Everyone living in the UK is entitled to see a GP free of charge. This is the most effective and efficient means of preventing ill-health and promoting well being. Despite this, people in need of healthcare are wrongly turned away from GP practices in England every day. Doctors of the World (DOTW) UK’s Registration Refused reporting (2016-2018) monitors the wrongful GP registration refusals of their patients, most of whom are migrants in vulnerable circumstances who are living in poverty. Registration Refused 2018 shows that almost one fifth of attempts by Doctors of the World’s volunteers to register patients with a GP were wrongly refused, for reasons that contravene NHS England guidance. Lack of paperwork (proof of ID or address) was the most common reason for refused registration – accounting for 64% of cases – and is likely to disproportionately affect already vulnerable groups. Thirty percent of GP practices approached (299 of 990) refused at least one registration attempt. Almost all of these (n=256; 87%) were rated as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The prevalence of...
Source: Doctors of the World News - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news