Call for more medics as swine flu patients flood GPs' surgeries.

Byline: Anna Davis Health Reporter

SWINE flu patients are swamping GP surgeries and extra medics must be drafted in, doctors warned today.

At least one practice is so busy it has cut the number of consultations available for patients with other conditions, the Standard has learned.

It comes as new London figures show Tower Hamlets has the highest number of suspected swine flu cases in the country with 184 people in every 100,000 reporting symptoms.

The Department of Health will release statistics today which are expected to show London is edging closer to epidemic levels.

Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: "The consultation rate has increased in London and is the highest rate since the start of the outbreak. In London, 16 Primary Care Trusts have rates significantly higher than the UK rate.

"We know the highest rate in the country has been in Tower Hamlets, and there is evidence of it spreading across the capital."

The Amersham Vale practice at the Waldron Health Centre in Lewisham is receiving so many calls from people worried about swine flu that a GP has been taken off normal duties to carry out telephone consultations. It means patients there will find it harder to get an appointment. Dr Louise Irvine, who works at the practice, said: "Locum doctors are needed and they should be deployed to the surgeries under strain."

Mr Field added: "GPs have reported to me how the workload has increased in the last two to three days and that the deaths of the GP and the young girl in London have made patients more anxious. But we know as GPs that they have no cause to be more anxious."

Dr Irvine said: "Around 25 people are phoning us every day. They need proper telephone consultations and each one takes up to seven minutes.

"We have to assess them, see if they need Tamiflu and fax an authorisation form to the local collection point. We are doing all this in addition to our normal duties. But this was not the original plan. People were supposed to call a national flu helpline and GPs were supposed to see the really sick people. But that helpline has not been set up and NHS Direct is overwhelmed and cannot authorise anti-virals being given out."

The Government is insisting that a swine flu vaccine should begin arriving at the end of next month. Britain should have around 60 million doses by the end of December.

It emerged today that every child aged between three and 16 will be a priority for vaccination. But the jab has to be approved by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency before it can be used.

CAPTION(S):

Under pressure: Dr Louise Irvine with colleagues Dr Hassan, far left, and Dr Aulkloo at Lewisham's Amersham Vale practice. Dr Irvine said they are getting 25 phone calls a day about swine flu