BMA: GPs 'likely' responsible for care of psychiatric inpatients in their area

BMA: GPs 'likely' responsible for care of psychiatric inpatients in their area GPs are 'likely' to have to provide primary care services for inpatients resident at psychiatric and other specialty institutions within their practice boundary, the BMA has said.

The new guidance - published after the BMA took legal advice on the issue - concerns patients residing in care homes, as well as single specialty and psychiatric institutions, following an increase in member enquiries about who is responsible for their primary care needs.

The guidance also says GPs should make decisions on home visits of these patients on a 'case-by-case basis'.

But other GP leaders argue that practices are neither skilled nor resourced for this type of work, with hospitals urged to take on more responsibility. Pulse