General practitioners' experiences delivering essential care services during the 2020 and 2021 COVID-19-related lockdowns

Abstract

Background and objectives: The UK provided guidance for general practitioners (GPs) to deliver essential care services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective was to describe local GP experiences and approaches to delivering care while similar formal guidance in Australia was unavailable.

Method: Two hundred and ninety-one GPs who practised during the March 2020 to December 2021 COVID-19 lockdowns in Melbourne and Sydney undertook an electronic survey exploring perceptions of essential care service delivery. The provision of care by Australian practices was compared to UK Royal College of General Practitioners' recommendations.

Results: Of 274 completed surveys, Australian GP practices were 60% concordant with UK guideline recommendations. There was a large shift towards telehealth service provision across the board, from diagnosis to follow-up. Most care continued if it was deliverable through telehealth or had urgent or time-sensitive need.

Discussion: Local guidance for delivery of essential care services should be developed for future calamities, informed by GPs' experience practising during the COVID 19 pandemic and considering Australian contextual factors.