“STRONG and often unchallenged views on social media” are partly to blame for abuse of staff at GP practices, a new report claims.

And a quarter of staff considering leaving the role say negative media coverage of GPs has influenced their decision.

An annual report into GP access in Bradford and Craven claims local GP practices “are offering significantly more appointments than ever before” – but acknowledges that “demand is higher than the total available appointments.”

Frustration from the public and “anti-GP” media stories has led to both verbal and physical abuse at surgeries – the report adds.

The report will be discussed by members of Bradford Council’s Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee at a meeting on Thursday afternoon, when members will be told the current approach to GP services are “unsustainable.”

The report follows a period when there has been public and political concern about waits for GP appointments.

It says although there are now more appointments available, increasing appointments is not the only solution, and says a shake up is needed of how GP practices work.

This will include directing people to specialist medical professionals – not just the old-style family GPs many people are used to.

At the meeting Councillors will be told by health bosses: “We need to recognise the work of colleagues in GP practices and dispel the myth that fewer appointments are being offered when we have a record number of appointments now being booked.”

The report by Bradford District and Craven Health Care Partnerships says around three quarters of GP appointments are now face to face, with 21 per cent over the phone.

It also says 40 per cent of appointments are taken up by just 5-10 per cent of the population, year-on-year.

The report says: “We know that our GP practices are offering significantly more appointments than ever before and doing so in a range of flexible ways that reflect clinical need as well as personal preference.

“While more appointments are being offered, and with a wider range of healthcare professionals, we know that demand is higher than the total available appointments.

“We need to recognise the work of colleagues in GP practices and dispel the myth that fewer appointments are being offered when we have a record number of appointments now being booked.”

High profile media articles about long wait times for GPs, and people criticising surgeries on social media and community pages were turning people against surgery staff, as well as demoralising health care professionals who were, just a few years ago, being applauded once a week.

The report says: “We are aware that media reporting, alongside strong and often unchallenged views on social media has resulted and continues to result in unacceptable verbal and physical abuse of GP practice colleagues.

“We would like to gain the support of members to share a strong message of zero tolerance against inexcusable behaviour towards people carrying out their jobs.

“The negative, anti-GP rhetoric often heard in the media and amplified on social media can fuel patient discontent.

“Our insight work across West Yorkshire highlights that media negativity was given by 25 per cent as a reason for staff considering leaving their role in a survey.

“In 5/10 primary care focus groups, there was a direct call to action to combat unhelpful and inaccurate misconceptions of GP practice teams.”

Explaining the current levels of appointments, Councillors will be told that Bradford District and Craven averaged 386,000 appointments per month over the last twelve months (full year 4.6million).

Most appointments were within seven days and most take place face-to-face (around seven in 10 now, higher than the national average).

The report says: “Between July 2019 and July 2023 there was growth in the number of appointments by 36,593, or 10.4 per cent.

“People see GPs as the door to wider health and care services, and many feel let down when they cannot access their GP in a way that works for them.

“We recognise that around 20 per cent of patients consult their GP for primarily social and as a result practices in some less affluent areas, as well as those in affluent areas, need to ensure their wider GP team can help with these issues.”