About a quarter of patient referrals to hospitals are rejected and returned to the GP, a poll shows.
More than a third of the so-called bouncebacks doctors received asked them to do work that was outside their purview. Some GPs are now raising concerns that this is causing likely delays cancer patients.
In the survey among 712 general practitioners by healthcare magazine Pulse, doctors estimated that 26 percent of referrals fell within the category of advice and guidance (A&G) – even if this was not requested.
A&G is intended for GPs to seek specialist advice before referring, but these unsolicited reports mean that the patients the doctors intended to refer to hospital had to return to their GP for specialist advice.
A London The GPs said they felt the system was ‘becoming more risky and unsafe’ and that this contributed to their decision to leave general practice.
GPs also estimated that 36 percent of the A&G they received required them to go beyond their normal duties.
One in the North East also warned that A&G is ‘raising increasing barriers to two-week gastrointestinal referrals’ for patients with suspected cancer symptoms.
Dr. Clare Bannon, chair of the GP committee at the British Medical Association, told Pulse: ‘If a referral is requested, hospital trusts are contractually obliged to accept referrals from general practice, except in very limited circumstances.
About a quarter of patient referrals to hospitals are rejected and returned to the GP, a poll shows
‘Referrals should not simply be rejected for requests for additional GP actions, unless part of a locally agreed process.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘Under this Government, the A&G model has supported millions of patients to receive care in the right place without having to join elective waiting lists.
“This will help more patients receive timely and appropriate care in primary care and in the community.”
