A report by independent think tank, the King’s Fund, has found ‘major’ failings across the NHS’ dermatology services.
The report shows evidence of staff shortages, inconsistent quality in diagnosis and treatment, poor training and large variations in current access to specialist care.
Although, at 13 million consultations every year, dermatology is the most frequent disease area seen by GPs, the area is ‘poorly understood’, said the report.
The report’s authors said dermatology services have received “comparatively little attention” compared with other disease areas.
Authors Nigel Edwards and Candace Imison said: “Dermatology represents an important part of NHS provision.
“There are approximately 13 million GP consultations for skin conditions a year and 716,830 new referrals and yet this important area is poorly understood and has received comparatively little attention.
“Commissioning has often been poor. Inadequate planning has left gaps in the workforce. The 40,000 GPs managing this workload have received little training in dermatology and there are only 650 consultants to advise them and provide the more specialist care.”
At Russell Worth, we help victims of dermatitis who have suffered as a result of their work. If you or your loved one has suffered with a skin condition due to past or current work conditions, and you would like to discuss your legal options, please give our helpful team a call on 0800 028 2060 or contact us online here.