Kumudini Valambia is right about current shortage of GPs. Measures to meet such contingency are urgently needed. In India shortage was met with creation of two and a half years course for laymen to practice as doctors. They were given a degree of Licenciate of College of Physicians and Surgeons-L.C.P.S. They practiced very well in areas of shortage of qualified doctors. Many compounders practiced as GPs in remote rural areas. This practice may still be prevalent.
Many Indians also rely on practitioners of alternative-Ayurvedic- medicine. I have seen some GPs extracting teeth. In absence of fully qualified dentists, technicians prepared full and partial dentures.
Therefore such scheme may be useful for UK, if backed with stringent regulations and with readily available pool of regular GPs and consultants. Paramedics may be allowed in certain areas of shortage or overload of emergency calls only.
Many basic procedures are performed by nurses to reduce load on GPs. eg BP, weight, asking urine/ blood samples, referring to general hospital for urine and blood tests, testing for sugar level in urine, testing for sensation in soles of diabetics, testing patients’ eyesight from reading an optical-chart before seeing eye-specialist.
Ramesh Jhalla
By email
