Shallow Offer: UK to spend over £200m on new phone system so patients get music while they wait on call for doctors
Patients will never hear an engaged tone. However, it still leaves consumers with the possibility of having to wait while forced to endure obnoxious music and continuous reminders that they are in a queue
Representational Image. Source: twitter
At a time when the entire medical system of UK is on the verge of collapsing as patients and thousands of underpaid health workers protesting to seek government’s attention, the Rishi Sunak administration is set to spend hundreds of millions of pounds on giving patients a ‘better’ hold music when they wait on call for general practitioners.
According to reports, tory ministers will announce today that approximately £240 million will be spent installing new phone systems in doctor’s offices.
They said that because of the initiative, patients will never hear an engaged tone. However, it still leaves consumers with the possibility of having to wait while forced to endure obnoxious music and continuous reminders that they are in a queue.
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Critics of this initiatives, mainly leaders of the opposition reacted by saying that patients desire more physicians rather than “better hold music.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s “shallow offer,” according to shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, demonstrated his disconnect from patients.
He said, “The Conservatives have slashed 2,000 GPs, which is why people can’t get an appointment with a doctor. Better hold music won’t make a difference in that.
“Nothing in this announcement will increase the number of doctors in training, give patients the option of a face-to-face appointment, or reinstate the family doctor, allowing people to visit the same general practitioner every time,” Streeting said before media.
He urged the Government to approve Labour’s proposal to train 7,500 additional physicians annually, which it claims could be funded by eliminating the non-domicile tax status.
Streeting believes, this would “enable patients to easily book appointments to see the doctor they want.”
What is promised?
The government asserts that the new technology will put a stop to the appointment scramble at 8 am.
According to the Department of Health, a typical practise with 10,000 patients frequently receives more than 100 calls in the first hour of Mondays.
“Patients will receive a queue position, a call-back option, and their call can be directly routed to the right professional,” it added of the new system.
Clinical systems will be integrated so that employees may recognise patients and their information by their number.
In an effort to shorten waiting lines, health secretary Steve Barclay said he was upgrading technology, hiring more people, and streamlining bureaucracy.
“We are making real progress,” he continued, “with 10% more GP appointments taking place each month than there were prior to the pandemic.”
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