- A recent Pulse survey of 836 GPs revealed that 78 per cent admit to practising "defensive medicine" due to the threat of complaints, leading them to deviate from what they believe is truly best for their patients.
- This defensive approach manifests as GPs being more inclined to prescribe certain medications, make referrals, or dedicate excessive time to writing detailed patient notes, primarily to avoid potential backlash and "cover their own back."
- While intended to prevent complaints, this practice carries risks such as overdiagnosis, potentially causing unnecessary anxiety for patients, and contributing to an "almost untenable" working environment within the NHS.
- This issue coincides with a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report highlighting that GPs are failing to identify older patients at risk of falls and medication errors, with only 17 per cent of patients aged 65 or over assessed for frailty in 2024/25.
- The PAC report condemned the low rates of frailty assessments, medication reviews (16 per cent), and falls risk assessments (18 per cent) for severely frail patients, warning that this constitutes "not acceptable care" and increases the likelihood of costly hospital admissions.
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