Many unable to see their GP – survey

PATIENTS in Wales are finding it harder to make an appointment with their local GP, a survey has suggested.

One in five people surveyed by the Welsh Government said they had difficulty booking an appointment in the past 12 months.

Of the 10,000 people questioned, 21% said it was very difficult to make an appointment, 17% said it was fairly difficult, 31% said it was fairly easy and a further 31% said it was very easy.

This is in comparison to the 2012-13 survey where 15% said it was very difficult to make an appointment.

Despite this 90% said they were satisfied with the care they did receive.

Long-term illnesses, employment, material deprivation and living in urban areas were all given as reasons why it is difficult to arrange appointments, with experts also pointing towards Wales’ ageing population.

Chair of the BMA’s Welsh Council, Dr David Bailey, said that a 10% rise in population has had a big impact on GPs waiting times.

“The rising population numbers in built-up areas is certainly having an affect and we are living longer – seven years longer than 30 years ago,” he said.“There has been a 10% rise in the population, mainly at the top end between the ages 74 and 82, when we need consultations far more.Surgeries now see patients on aver age six times a year, which is 19 million appointments if you take the Welsh population as a whole.”

Those living in urban areas struggled the most when booking appointments with 23% saying it was very difficult to make an appointment.

Over the past 12 months those living in or on the fringes of towns 20% said it was very difficult to make an appointment, with 15% and 12% living in villages and hamlets respectively reporting the same.

Dr Bailey said: “The average list size is bigger in areas of greater population density with these impacted more.

“Recruitment is the hidden problem in rural areas. Workload and recruitment is a problem across the board.”

The Welsh Government’s Taking Wales Forward programme published in 2016 included an aim to improve access to GPs. But the percentage of patients who find it easy to make an appointment has fallen year-on-year since 2012.

Dr Will Mackintosh, from the Royal College of General Practitioners Wales, said work to reduce waiting times was ongoing.

“Long waiting times are a result of the under-investment and severe workforce pressures that general practice is facing,” he said.

Dr Mackintosh added that a lack of GP training places was hindering this process.

“There are 136 GP training places in Wales; RCGP Wales believes we need to see this increased to 200 in order to secure a sustainable workforce,” he said.

“This is a long-term solution, but we also need to see more short-term measures such as steps to alleviate unsustainable workload pressures and keep existing GPs in the profession.”