A day in the life of a GP, as 2024 begins

By Ellie Philpotts

A GP partner at Witley and Milford Medical Partnership, Surrey, tells Doctors.net.uk about his start to the year.

The practice, in Surrey Heartland ICB, has a patient population of approximately 11,500. This makes it slightly larger than the average 10,000.

The first working day back after New Year’s Day always promises to be an intense one but with the pressures on primary care, including resources issues, staff absences and vacancies, strikes, even violence from patients - the reality is even harsher than many would imagine.

GP partner Dr Dave Triska gives an account of starting back at work after the bank holiday:

Tuesday 2 January

8:00 The practice opens for the year, but by 08.17 it had already received 40 appointment requests. They’re pouring in by the seconds. Merely 13 minutes later, the figure had risen to 52 requests, which Dr Triska described as “double the rate we get on the busiest of Mondays”.