Patients who visited their GP more than once in recent years ‘never saw the same doctor’, research finds

ALMOST half of adults who visited their GP more than once in recent years have never or rarely seen the same doctor, new research reveals.

The study also found that of this group nearly a fifth, about 18 percent, say they simply haven’t seen the same doctor in recent years.

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Ministers are being warned that the family doctor is a “thing of the past” as different professionals step in to provide treatment.

A staggering 27 percent of people aged 65 never see the same doctor, despite research showing it can help avoid hospital admissions.

It comes after the British Medical Journal found that those who had the same doctor for 15 years or more had a 25% lower chance of dying – compared to those with a GP lasting less than a year.

South East England is seen as the worst region for always booking the same GP – with 25 per cent never seeing the same doctor.

The Liberal Democrats will ensure that anyone over the age of 70, as well as those with long-term health conditions, will have access to a named GP.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said: “It is a scandal that, under the watch of this government, the family doctor has become a thing of the past.

“Retirees are not receiving the care they need because medical surgeries are overwhelmed, leaving waiting times out of control.

“We need a return to the family doctor, starting with the elderly and those with long-term health problems.

“We want to see the return of the named GP, so that patients with complex care needs see the same GP and don’t have to waste time going over the same details every time they see a doctor.

“This would provide vital personalized care to those who need it most, helping people to lead healthier lives independently in their own homes wherever possible.”