GPs hit back at 'don't care' claim

Selby GP Dr Patrick McGrann said that doctors made a careful clinical decision before admitting a patient to hospital and did not use admission as an "easy route", as suggested by chairman of the Selby and York Primary Care Trust, Councillor Janet Looker, at the Health and Social Care Partnership Board meeting last week.

That meeting, made up of representatives from City of York Council, Selby and York Primary Care Trust, York Health Services NHS Trust and the independent sector, discussed joint strategic decisions, including a solution for delayed discharges - where elderly people are cared for on a hospital ward because there is nowhere suitable for them to go.

Coun Looker said she was speaking very broadly about an important issue and she was now planning to write a letter to the North Yorkshire Local Medical Committee, which Dr McGrann chairs.

Dr McGrann said admission to an acute hospital, particularly one with a serious delayed discharge problem, was done only where medically necessary.

He said: "When a doctor decides to admit a patient to hospital that's a very serious and deeply thought-out matter. This is not done lightly and it is a response to professional judgement.

"We are aware of the difficulties, we get a red bed alert from York Hospital on a regular basis. But if a patient needs medical care that can only be delivered at a hospital, then that's what they should get."

Dr McGrann said admissions to cottage hospitals and nursing homes were also made, and relatives were often asked to take over care.

Coun Looker said: "I was speaking broadly, I wanted to make absolutely sure, because this is my absolute commitment, that all parts of the service feel involved in the problem and are committed to the solution.

"I was speaking without any specific GP or referring agency in mind. I was speaking, I suppose, to give emphasis to what I think is a very important issue."

Updated: 11:48 Saturday, January 25, 2003