A GP has warned affected person care will likely be impacted if NHS workers are unable to entry free coronavirus assessments from April.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out his Residing with Covid plan for England on Monday, saying that free testing for most of the people would finish on April 1.
Dr Nishant Joshi, a 33-year-old GP based mostly in Luton, Bedfordshire, advised the PA information company the announcement was “positively going to have an effect on affected person care”.
He stated visits to susceptible sufferers can be particularly impacted, including: “We’re going out to see sufferers day by day at care properties, residential properties, their very own properties. These are very susceptible sufferers.
“I simply fear that we’re going again to treating a few of our most susceptible sufferers like sitting geese as soon as once more.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out his intention to finish common free testing in England (James Manning/PA)
(PA Wire)
Dr Joshi additionally warned the price of workers getting assessments for themselves might develop into an issue.
He stated: “We discuss the price of a loaf of bread (and) a pint of milk. Are we going to have to begin including within the value of Covid assessments as properly into our weekly finances? It simply appears utterly unreasonable at a time when issues have by no means been dearer.
“Nurses at meals banks: how are you going to look these nurses within the eye and say ‘we all know you’re struggling but in addition we’re going to ask you to pay extra?’
“It’s only a very unreasonable factor to do at a time when NHS workers have sufficient to fret about.”
I simply fear that we’re going again to treating a few of our most susceptible sufferers like sitting geese as soon as once more
Dr Nishant Joshi
Well being Secretary Sajid Javid stated: “If NHS workers want assessments they are going to be supplied with free assessments – that will likely be a call for the NHS.
“Even earlier than Covid, the NHS has all the time sensibly decided on assessments and retaining their workers secure, as a result of retaining workers secure means retaining their sufferers secure and it’s all the time about affected person security.”
Kaynak: briturkish.com
