'Ghost Patient' Policy Wrongly Removing At-Risk People From GP Lists, Doctors Say
An NHS England initiative that shortened the cut-off period for inactive patients is disproportionately affecting the most deprived areas, according to analysis.
An NHS England policy intended to remove "ghost patients" from GP lists is inadvertently leaving some of the poorest people in England without vital healthcare, according to analysis cited in a report.
Under previous NHS rules, inactive patients at risk of being removed from their GP practice were given six months to respond to outreach efforts.
Since NHS England introduced an accelerated list validation timeline last October, patients now have only three months to reply before facing removal.
The analysis found the shortened response window is disproportionately affecting the most deprived areas, raising concerns among doctors about vulnerable patients losing access to care.
Sources
- ‘Ghost patient’ policy wrongly removing at-risk people from GP lists, doctors say — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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