Dr Maureen Baker, chair of the Royal College of GPs, has commented on research by Leonard Cheshire Disability showing that GPs spend 15,000 hours a month caring for disabled and elderly patients who have suffered health problems because of their inaccessible homes.
Dr Baker said: “GPs treat the whole person, so we are only too aware that inaccessible or inadequate housing can have a negative impact on our patients’ physical and mental health.
“General practice is currently under huge pressure dealing with the demands of a growing and ageing population with decreasing resources and a chronic shortage of GPs.
“We need at least 10,000 more GPs across the UK by 2020 to keep up with demand, so it goes without saying that the service we could provide for our patients with an extra 15,000 working hours every month, is immense.”
