Doctors attack plans for 'shopping mall surgeries'

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Doctors attack plans for 'shopping mall surgeries':

"The plans would 'crush singlehanded and small practices in favour of giant super-surgeries of 10 or more doctors' and Britain's 10,000 GP practices would 'shrink to a miserable 1,800', he said."

I won't comment on the situation in Britain as I am not there. Reading this , though, made me think of how things have been revamped here. In certain areas we cannot get doctors at all and trying to get rural and regional doctors is a problem. How it is set up has changed,and, for the most part, for the better. I have two GPs because over my life, and given where I have worked and am working ,I have needed doctors at opposite ends of town. One is in a practice with a partner and it has been hugely successful and long lasting. Both of the doctors are real family doctors and will make house calls in serious circumstances. My other doctor was originally in a practice of four. Now he is in a practice of I have no idea..about 10-12. They use one of our huge beautiful Adelaide bungalows and it has some real advantages. There are all sorts of other medical facilities onsite so that older patients or very sick patients can have tests and treatments before anything else occurs. Since it is a big Adelaide home, we all feel very much at home and the 10-12 doctors have been selected to cover varying age groups, patient needs and a mix of expertise. No doctor is without someone to consult. The oldies really like it because they don't have to run around. The young ones like it because it doesn't have what can be an overwhelming feeling of being in a waiting room by yourself when you don't feel well. The doctors also sponsor local artists and their works are displayed for sale. It's very calming. I like both experiences. We also have 24 hour surgeries where different doctors are rostered as an alternative to locums. The main concern for me is that I and my family have a good relationship of trust with a doctor. It's the level of care and concern from the doctor. You need someone whose opinion you value and who is competent and can formulate a plan for your well being. Smaller practices here have dwindled because the doctors have felt a bit threatened by some of the patients and a bit isolated. In a bigger practice there is the safety of numbers and I think that is worth considering. A bigger practice doesn't have to be a mall. My two doctors in the small practice are hugely competent and happy, but so are the ones in the bigger one...because I asked! I know quite a few of them now. They all felt odd at first and now they like the comradeship and the chance to discuss things easily with others.