GP contracts to change from April 1st - implications for patients

[smallglassbottle]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/expert-warns-getting-gp-appointment-36886711

GPs will no longer be able to refer patients to hospital consultants, but instead will have to follow instructions on patient management via email. I don't know what will happen to urgent cases.

I think this will end up with more patients going to A&E and patients not being able to get help for their conditions. I was recently fobbed off by a consultant, but managed to reason with him by giving him extra information that he hadn't even bothered looking at via the notes. If patients are going to have to rely on GPs to advocate for them, what happens when the GP isn't able to or just fails to?

Already happening, I know! Seems that you will have to go through more hoops before a referral, so I guarantee issues will be missed, neglected and frankly be seen too late!

I waited 6 months to see Rheumatology for what turned out to be a serious rare autoimmune disease that required immediate treatment. Had my GP been able to email the consultant I might well have been seen sooner.

The current system isn’t working, something has to change to reduce waiting times and I can’t see that it will be any worse than what’s happening now.

It makes sense. Instead of just referring people to a specialist to get them out of their hair, the GP will actually have to talk to the specialists first and make sure sending the patient there is the correct course of action. When resources are scatrce they need to make sure everyone who is referred to the hospital needs to go there.

I think The Mirror has misinterpreted some of the new guidance

www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2026-02-25/how-will-new-gp-contract-improve-experience-your-local-practice