Essex GP appointments rise by nearly 100,000 in a month
NHS Digital figures show a large increase from February to March
GP appointments have risen by almost 100,000 in a month in north Essex.
NHS Digital figures show that GP practices across Suffolk and North East Essex increased by 82,147 from February to March of this year.
The rise in appointments in the area is reflected across the country.
Although the coronavirus pandemic is expected to have impacted these levels, Dr Amy Kerstein says a rise in appointments is not new:
"We have definitely felt it as a general practice and as an area.
"In the last two years the number of GP appointments national has gone up by nearly 3 million.
"I know many patients were trying to protect us through lockdown by not visiting, but now its coming in and the stuff is complicated.
"We are certainly short on GP's locally and nationally, but surgeries are being really clever about this.
"So you might call and be directed to a physio therapist, or a practice pharmacist or a nurse practitioner."
During lockdown phone and video appointments were widely used to try and triage patients and reduce the need to go in person.
However, GP practices did not close and continued to offer health advice and support throughout.
Dr Kerstein says the rise in appointments should not deter people:
"We are really in a difficult position where we are saying general practices are struggling but we dont want to put people off getting help.
"Its about bearing with us, if you phone up with three problems and we can only deal with one then we can make a plan for later.
"So please do call whether it is about physical or mental health but be patient with us."