Superdoctors 'could slash waiting lists'

NHS waiting lists in Northern Ireland could be slashed if a new breed of ‘superdoctors’ is introduced, it was claimed today.

Medical chiefs gathering for a special conference in Belfast are hoping to put pressure on the British government to promote a system of GPs with special interests (GPwSIs) at surgeries across the North.

In England, where the GPwSIs are already established, waiting times have been cut by offering minor surgery and other specialist treatment at practices instead of referring patients to hospital.

But it is thought that no more than half a dozen are operating across Northern Ireland. Dr Jeni McAughey, Northern Ireland chair of conference hosts the Royal College of General Practitioners, stressed that there were huge benefits from a major expansion.

She said: “We hope that GPwSIs will be able to speed up treatment for patients and reduce the long waiting lists we have in Northern Ireland.

“They can offer a second opinion and more specialised treatment without patients having to attend hospital.

“We look forward to having many more specialised GPs working in Northern Ireland soon.”

The specialist services that doctors would be able to perform include care for older people, child protection, diabetes, echocardiography and musculoskeletal conditions.

Keynote speakers at the conference being held at the Ramada Hotel include Northern Ireland Chief Medical Officer Dr Henrietta Campbell; Professor David Colin-Thome, the UK National Clinical Director for primary Care and the Royal Colleges GPwSIs projector leader Dr Claire Gerada.