Haslingden GP responds to GP criticism with window to pandemic work

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A Valley GP has hit back at criticism from GPs to show the reality of his workday during the pandemic.

Dr Abdul Mannan, who heads Hazel Valley surgery in Haslingden, posted a day in the life video online in response to common complaints received by GPs, particularly due to lack of appointments.

Earlier this month, we reported that the Rossendale Borough Council Review and Review Committee was to investigate alleged issues with scheduling appointments at local doctor’s offices.

And earlier this summer, Irwell Medical Practice at Bacup reported calling the police four times in a matter of weeks due to a growing problem of abusive and aggressive patients.

In the YouTube video, Dr Mannan explains that he will see around 40 patients a day, process around 160 test results, 200 prescriptions, 50 letters and reports, and arrange home visits for the most urgent cases.

He says: It is 11:39 am; I have been harassed by administrative colleagues because patients want their prescriptions. They should have ordered them in advance, a lot of people do, but you have other patients who don’t.

I have about 159 prescriptions to fill, so I’m going to have to jump on them and let patients wait, which I shouldn’t be doing because of the Covid rules, but I have to make these prescriptions.

During the pandemic, many appointments were moved by phone, but many residents complained about the lack of appointments and busy lines at surgeries. Dr Mannan added in the video that he would not be able to take a lunch break as he had to go home urgently.

He said: There are things happening from all directions. It’s not that we’re not busy, it’s not that we aren’t doing anything, it’s not like we’re playing golf, or twiddling our thumbs, or shyly working.

The reality is that primary care treats 90% of NHS episodes on any given day. This is why we were so busy and this is why you cannot reach us and this is why you are frustrated and upset.

People are living longer with multiple health issues, but it needs people to take care of people, but we don’t have enough doctors in the UK and the government is not investing enough in the NHS, period.

Speaking to ITV Granada Reports last week, Dr Mannan said he was in danger of exhausting himself.

My patients are very frustrated and I am even more frustrated, he says. I entered this job to take care of the patients; that’s what I want to do, but the frustrating thing for me is that I don’t see enough patients on a given day. I would be lying to you if I said that I don’t sleep well or that I don’t have a headache when I come home some nights.

Concerns about GP appointment systems and the availability of face-to-face appointments since pandemic closures were raised at the September plenary council meeting.

Rossendale council chief Alyson Barnes told Granada this week that there were certain advantages to having dates over the phone.

She said: I think for some people it’s really good, if you’re at work you can still talk to your GP for five, ten minutes or even if you walk your dog, but if some people rely on talking to their GP on the phone and their hearing isn’t that good then that’s a problem.

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