One of the strengths of the way in which MPs are entitled to ask questions in the House of Commons is that where the data exists it gets published in an open manner, however sometimes the failure to then explain what the data really means is potentially quite disturbing. A short while ago Caroline Lucas, my local MP asked the following written question.

“To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the GP to patient ratio for (a) Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group, (b) other clinical commissioning groups and (c) the UK; what recent assessment he has made of the safe ratio of patients to doctors in GP practices; what steps he is taking to increase the number of GPs in Brighton and Hove; and if he will make a statement.”

The background to this question is the closure of a number of GP Practices, and also a recent visit Caroline made to a practice that specialises in treating patients who have no homes and for many, who spend their lives living rough.

The response just over a week ago came from a junior Minister in the Department for Health, Steven Brine who is MP for Winchester:

“NHS England and the Department have not sought to make a recommendation about the safe ratio of patients to doctors in general practice as the appropriate ratio is determined by local population demands. NHS England and Health Education England are working together with the profession to increase the general practitioner (GP) workforce by an additional 5,000 doctors in general practice by 2020. This includes measures to boost recruitment into general practice, address the reasons why GPs are leaving the profession, and encourage GPs to return to practice. The table shows patient numbers per headcount GP and headcount GPs per 100,000 population for Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS England South East, South of England and England.”

It is dangerous to speculate on this, but on the downside it is very concerning that the number of GPs seems so low in our City. However the distinction shown in the table between the South of England and rest of the country could reflect the levels of health need and as Steven Brine has suggested the local demands. If so understanding this in terms of Brighton and Hove would be helpful. There is also the possibility that the reason for our GP numbers to be so much lower than the national, or regional figures is that we are an urban population and there must be many locations, in Sussex let alone further afield where a local GP may be many miles away from the home of the patient. Whilst the DoH and NHSE may not have made recommendations regarding patient to GP numbers , it seems vital that in fact they do so. They would need to take into account the fact that regional health needs vary, that travelling between practices will be a bigger issue for rural patients than urban patients. It is this sort of slightly more sophisticated response that we need to better understand if our city is understaffed when it comes to GPs.