Bridget calls for patients to be put first

1.33.42pm GMT Mon 10th Jan 2005

We're lucky that Islington GPs have been among the pioneers in special training for GPs to provide better support for patients with arthritis. It's wonderful work ? but it depends on consultations that are long enough to find the right way forward for each patient.

GPs and patients alike are frustrated by government targets that limit appointments to under 10 minutes. Family doctors argue that 15 minutes is a more realistic time to be able to listen to patients. But one of the government's own surveys found that a fifth of patients were given under 5 minutes to see their GP on their last visit. That's not fair on anyone.

If we want a health service that is truly about health then we must move away from the target culture, freeing GPs to respond flexibly to their patients, giving not only a better quality of service but also a better quality of life.