Could Seeing The Same Gp Save Your Life?

Just getting an appointment can be a struggle, but who you see could be a matter of life or death.

- Natalia Lubomirski

When we’re poorly, the first thing we want is medical advice. And these days our options are mind-boggling. We can visit countless health websites online, book an appointment with a virtual doctor, call 111 to talk to a human on the end of a phone or even use an AI (artificial intelligence) doctor on platforms such as Babylon. Want to see someone? we can visit urgent care centres or if we’re very ill head to our local A&E.

But what about the old-fashioned idea of seeing the same doctor face-to-face, year on year? Well, for many, actually visiting the GP’s surgery is a bit of a hassle, but also many practices these days have a range of doctors, so you’re never certain who you’ll see. However, not seeing the doctor of your choice might not just be an inconvenience – according to former president of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), Sir Denis Pereira Gray, it could be ‘literally a matter of life and death’.

Any doctor will see you now

Researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School, who looked at 22 studies covering 1.4 million people worldwide, found that patients were significantly more likely to die if they had appointments with different doctors. Another study from the US also discovered that nearly a fifth of diabetes patients who saw different GPs died within three years, compared to just 8% who saw the same doctor.