Mr Selbie highlighted a scheme in Derbyshire, where Citizens Advice have set up clinics in almost 100 GP surgeries. They compare the financial advice they give to offering patients a flu jab.
He said: “In Derbyshire, there are 102 GP practices, of which 98 have a weekly clinic operated by the Citizens Advice Bureaux to ensure people have access to help, which can resolve stressful issues such as housing, employment and benefits problems or any other matter getting in the way of their good health.”
The chairman of the Royal College of GPs said patients could be left feeling that financial services were being “forced on them” when they wanted medical help.
Dr Maureen Baker said financial advice in surgeries was not something that the
profession “could or should” be expected to provide.
She said: “Doctors are skilled and trained to diagnose and treat illness; this is what our patients rely on and expect from us, and it is important that this remains our main priority.
“GPs are already struggling to cope with ever-increasing workloads whilst funding for general practice is at an all-time low. Some doctors are seeing upwards of 60 patients a day, and it would not be feasible or appropriate for them to take on an additional role as financial advisers.
“We would also be worried about financial representatives operating from GP surgeries if they were for-profit. The relationship between patient and doctor is one of trust and confidentiality, and this could be damaged if patients felt that GPs were forcing other services on them.”
Referring to the Derbyshire scheme, Mr Selbie said: “We know that not having enough money to live on, or somewhere decent to live are barriers to people’s good health and wellbeing, and we have the voluntary sector, council and CCGs [clinical commissioning groups] working together in a way which means people have support through early intervention advice services and avoiding the potential need for expensive health care later on.”
According to the Office for National Statistics, children in the richest areas in Britain can expect to live an active life for up to 20 years longer than their counterparts in the poorest neighbourhoods.
In a survey by StepChange, a charity providing debt advice, almost three- quarters of people said that debt worries affected their sleep, while six in 10 suggested that mood changes relating to debt issues affected their behaviour.
A spokesman for the British Medical Association said it was unlikely that the vast majority of GP practices would have the resources to provide such a service.
Patients should get financial suggestions at GP surgical treatment, watchdog says
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