- Hundreds of thousands of patients, including vulnerable individuals such as the homeless, mentally unwell, and those with learning disabilities, are being removed from GP lists across England under a new NHS scheme aimed at 'cleaning up' records.
- Concerned doctors report that many vulnerable patients are being incorrectly flagged for removal, with one GP observing that a significant majority of those targeted in her practice had non-English names, despite still living in the UK.
- Over 400,000 patients were removed from lists between January and June, with London accounting for more than 40 per cent of these removals, leading to London surgeries collectively losing £17 million in annual funding.
- Medics warn that patients removed from lists risk missing crucial cancer screenings, having hospital referrals cancelled, or experiencing delays in treatment, while practices face substantial financial losses that could impact staffing levels.
- NHS England states the scheme aims to maintain accurate patient lists and ensure fair resource distribution, asserting that patients are given sufficient time to respond and can re-register quickly if removed in error, though concerns persist about the process's potential to widen health inequalities.
IN FULL
