The growing numbers of consultations in general practice are “unsustainable” in Wales, a senior doctor has warned.

It is leading to burnout and GPs taking early retirement and changing career, the Welsh conference of local medical committees has been told. Speaking to the conference, Dr Phil White, chair of the British Medical Associations’ Welsh GP committee, said the media had reported that practices were “shut” when in fact they were working hard to respond to the pandemic. This included the development of remote consultation and managing the vast majority of COVID cases at home, using red hubs and home oxygen saturation meters.

Warning of a crisis in general practice, he said: “We are pressured into undertaking more face-to-face consultations when many prefer remote consultation as it enables them to get on with their busy lives? Over the past six months we have seen escalating consultation levels to way beyond comparable pre COVID periods. This is unsustainable.”

He called on the Welsh government to avoid the confrontation with GPs, seen in England, stating: “We have warned successive governments over many years that there would be a GP workforce crisis, and here it is. Some efforts have been made to alleviate the problem, but it is all rather late in the day. Be warned NHS Wales, if General Practice fails, Secondary Care will be buried in a tsunami of work, and the Covid recovery plan will be obliterated. For recovery and sustainability, the first step must be reinforcement of the front line. Invest in general practice, more doctors, more staff, and better premises.”