Three in four UK GPs ‘too busy to talk to their patients in depth’

Family doctors’ professional body finds the majority have no time to discuss preventative measures

A friendly chat with your GP about your life, health and happiness was once a key part of the UK’s family doctor service.

But most GPs no longer have time to have pastoral conversations, because they are too busy dealing with the country’s rising tide of illness, research reveals.

Three out of four family doctors are now too time-pressed to talk to patients in depth about how they might stop smoking, lose weight or get more sleep, the Royal College of GPs has found.

Intense demands and 10-minute appointment slots mean they also miss opportunities to discuss taking more exercise or review their medications to see if they still need to be on them.