LESS than half the number of doctor's appointments taking place in Thurrick are being held in a face-to-face situation.

Figures compiled by the Local Democracy Reporting Service show that the number of appointments taking place in the borough has dropped by almost 50 per cent since January with a significant number of appointments being carried out inline or by telephone.

In January there were 62,727 appointments made at surgeries within the Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group area – or which 77.6 were face to face appointments with a GP.

As the coronavirus pandemic began to take effect, those numbers dropped significantly through the first half of the year – though numbers have started to go back up in July and August.

In February there were 55,560 appointments of which 77,7 were also seen face-to-face and there were 51, 099 in March (67% face-to-face).

But the numbers dropped significantly in April as lockdown took effect. In April there were 28,920 appoints (53.1% face-to-face) and the year's low was reached in May - 27, 926 appointments with 53,5 face-to-face).

Appoints rose to 31,522 in June but the number that were face-to-face dropped to 47.1%.

July saw 34,996 appointments, of which 48.3 per cent were face-to-face.

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs said: "It has been very clear throughout that if someone needs to be seen face-to-face, for things such as a blood test, then they need to be seen. That is a clinical decision.

"But the advice was that consultation should be done remotely with remote triages at the front end. Now that guidance appears to be changing but to suggest that GPs should open up their doors on the basis that a small number of patients are unhappy that they can't see their GP just seems frankly silly to me.

"The number of face-to-face contacts has gone up. It's all about infection control. Even then the patient is wearing a mask and the GP is wearing PPE - there is a risk patients will spread infection, certainly in the waiting room. No matter how much we try and socially distance people, if people are coughing and spluttering in the waiting room there is a risk in both directions as clinicians can give it to patients.

"It's frustrating as we thoroughly recognise that patients would like to see their GP but don't have a good clinical reason to do so.

"GPs themselves would like to do this - it's part of the joy of the job. We are just not in a place where we have the privilege to do that.

"But there's no doubt across the country that GPs have been open for business."

That has been echoed in Thurrock by Dr Anil Kallil, Chair of NHS Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group, who said: "We understand that some people will still feel reluctant or nervous about contacting their GP – whether that is because they don't want to be a burden or they are hesitant about going into a practice.

"However, I would urge people to seek medical help from NHS 111 or at their local GP Practice if they have a health issue. GP Practice staff have been working incredibly hard to ensure local people get the help that they need.

"For everyone's safety, we are still asking patients to contact our GP practices remotely – and we have adapted really well to this new way of working – but if we feel it would be better to see a patient in person it is safe to do so."

A statement from the Thurrock CCG added: " If you are waiting for a check-up, please be assured your practice will be in touch. Appointments are being delivered face-to-face, online and over the telephone to manage demand.

"Remember, if you are asked to come into a surgery for a face-to-face appointment, please wear a face covering. These measures are in place to keep you safe from infection during your visit to the surgery."