GPs Face Ongoing Challenges in the Wake of the Pandemic

Professor Lucy Easthope, a leading expert in risk and hazard management at the University of Durham, has raised concerns about the well-being of General Practitioners (GPs). Speaking at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) annual conference in Glasgow, she emphasized that GPs often struggle to take care of themselves. The fear of taking time off and stepping away from the work they love can be a significant barrier.

Burnout Prevalent Among Oral Health Workforce During Pandemic

She urged GPs to reevaluate their role in the context of disaster response, stressing the importance of self-care. In the aftermath of a pandemic, she emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in the relationship between the public and healthcare workers, a change that would last a lifetime.

Long-term Impact of the Pandemic

Professor Easthope’s work, dating back to 2016, highlighted the long-term consequences of a pandemic. She predicted that the impact on frontline health workers, particularly those in primary care, would be profound and long-lasting. In her opinion, the harm caused by the pandemic would be felt for a minimum of 10 to 30 years.

Furthermore, she warned that demand for primary care services would continue to rise, while patient satisfaction scores would decline. Patients, she noted, often rate their primary care relationship as an act of vengeance against the state rather than from a place of rationality, resulting in lower scores for an extended period.

Pandemic Recovery – an Endurance Event

Recovering from the pandemic is not a simple task. Professor Easthope described it as “the worst endurance event imaginable.” Excess deaths would be a lingering concern, stemming from delayed cardiac care, delayed oncology treatments, poorly managed diabetes, dental infections, urinary tract infections, and more.

Additionally, she highlighted the “somatic symptoms of disaster,” which typically manifest three years after the incident. These symptoms include insomnia, rashes, respiratory issues, and various physical discomforts related to trauma.

Dental staff shortage and the Great Resignation

Preparing for the Future

In light of the challenges ahead, Professor Easthope urged GPs to be realistic and not rely on optimism. She encouraged them to consider the “reasonable worst scenario” when preparing for the upcoming winter. Acknowledging the difficulties and addressing them proactively would be crucial in providing the best care possible.

Despite the daunting challenges, Professor Easthope drew inspiration from the remarkable work done by GPs and their teams in North Kensington, London, following the Grenfell disaster. She commended their dedication to caring for patients, even when their medical issues extended beyond physical ailments.

In conclusion, she emphasised the ever-increasing difficulties of disaster response and thanked GPs for their unwavering commitment to providing support and care, recognizing the true value of social prescribing.