At least six in every 10 family doctors do not have time to explain fully to patients everything they may need to know about medication being prescribed for them, according to a new survey.
The survey, conducted among more than 100 family doctors across the State, found 61 per cent of GPs saying the average consultation time does not permit them to fully explain details about the medicines they prescribe for patients.
As a result they were recommending to patients that they use other sources for additional information. Some 45 per cent said they recommended patients talk to their pharmacist, 44 per cent said they suggested patients use the internet and 40 per cent said they advised patients to read the in-pack leaflet with the drugs prescribed for further information.
When prompted, a quarter of the GPs said they would recommend patients seek information from the pharmaceutical company which developed the medication.
The research, commissioned by the Irish Patients' Association, was conducted by the independent market research company MORI.
Dr Martin Daly, chairman of the GP Committee of the Irish Medical Organisation, said last night the average length of GP consultations had increased from seven to 15 minutes in recent years due to the broader ranger of services offered by family doctors and the increased expectation of patients.
But he said pressure of time has increasingly become an issue for GPs due to the level of their workload. Much work had been divested in them by hospitals, for example looking after chronic illnesses such as diabetes, conducting regular warfarin testing and looking after early discharge patients. This was compounded by a manpower crisis within general practice that has seen parts of urban areas, such as Mulhuddart in Dublin, without a comprehensive GP service. There were some rural areas where it had become impossible to recruit GPs, he said.
GPs were also being required to fill out more forms to support grant applications and to show people were fit to travel on aircraft. "The average working week of a GP is now 70 to 90 hours," he said.
Nonetheless, Dr Daly added that GPs should take as much time as was required to explain fully to patients their illness and the therapy being offered them. However, GPs, because of time constraints, couldn't be a patient's only source of health information and new sources had to be developed, such as directing patients to practice nurses, community pharmacists and the internet, he said.