article_snippet.sent: Today's piece, written by academics from Imperial College London and New York University, points out that more GPs are required if access is to be improved.
article_snippet.sent: But more GPs add politicians' promises of an extra 5,000 to 8,000 GPs are likely to be challenging to achieve.
article_snippet.sent: The BMJ report said largest increase in GPs over a previous parliamentary term in the past 20 years was 5,414 GPs (from 2004/05 to 2008/09) under Labour.
article_snippet.sent: Making general practice consultation data routinely available .
article_snippet.sent: Looking at employing practice staff besides GPs .
article_snippet.sent: Evaluating new types of appointment such as telephone consultations .
article_snippet.sent: Considering alternatives to general practice such as pharmacist-led minor illness services.
article_snippet.sent: Instead, a parliamentary term recommended the NHS evaluates the use of new types of appointment that have been proposed to increase GP capacity, such as consultations and triage by phone or online. '
article_snippet.sent: It should also consider other types of staff who could take on some of the work of GPs.'