It Only Works because It Doesn't

In the left corner:

Our PCT, insisting that we provide ever more appointments that have to be bookable two weeks in advance; also insisting that we see patients immediately when they say it's "urgent" even when it's clear it isn't; and also providing minimum number of appointments each GP must provide each week. Their targets are ambitious but we do our best.

In the right corner:

The BMA Guidance on child Protection which says amongst all the other excellent advice: "Doctors have a key role to play in child protection (case) conferences and the BMA considers it important that , as far as possible, doctors attend in person, in addition to sending in a written report containing relevant information such as ..."

In the middle:

The GP. We usually receive less than 48 hours notice of a case conference (that's because best practice is to convene it a.s.a.p). So the GP has usually already got fifteen or so patients each with a ten-minute appointment booked up to two weeks in advance, exercising their right to see the doctor of their choice.

The Outcome.

We rarely attend case conferences and until someone works out the realities of the conflicting demands made of GPs, that situation won't change.

The Moan

It's one of the things that really gets my goat. Managers have produced glossy (and expensive) books containing impressive procedures that are faultless in ambition, aiming for very best practice and overflowing with care. They simply don't work and nothing will change until they look at the realities of general practice. Try asking us - that would be a start.