People contact MP in frustration with GPs
Patients voice worry over lack of appointments
MP Joy Morrissey has raised concerns about the lack of face-to-face GP appointments in her constituency with a Clinical Commissioning
Group.
The Beaconsfield MP said about a dozen people had contacted her with concerns about being unable to get in-person appointments at GP practices in her constituency, including Burnham.
Concerns have also been raised about telephone systems, with people saying they are unable to get through.
Speaking to the Express, the Conservative MP said that when constituents contact her raising issues, she will then
raise them with Buckinghamshire CCG.
Mrs Morrissey added that some of the people that have written to her have now received appointments.
She said that some surgeries across South Bucks are doing a great job accommodating faceto-face appointments, but there are one or two that ‘may be struggling’.
Discussing Burnham Health
Centre, she said: “We’re trying as much as we can to support them and trying to work with the local community.
“I understand maybe there’s a lot of demand, but people are desperate, they need that assurance, and they need to physically see their GP right now.”
The MP added: “If a constituent has to write into their MP, that means they’ve sort of exhausted every other avenue and they’re so frustrated that they don’t feel they have anyone else to turn to. I know how frustrating it can be to not be able to get GP appointments when you’re a carer or when you’re trying to help an elderly or disabled person.
“I just want to help as much as I can because if you’re already not feeling well, the last thing you want to do is have to keep battling with your GP to get an appointment.”
Mrs Morrissey added that she would be happy to visit Burnham Health Centre to work with it to try and come up with a solution that works for everyone.
She said she has sympathy for Burnham Health Centre with the amount of patients it has and added that she would support another surgery or satellite surgery coming into the area.
Posting on the Burnham Village
Facebook group in September, Dr Tanvir Jamil of Burnham Health Centre said that the centre would be open from 8am on Monday, October 4 for patients to come in and make an appointment with a nurse, doctor or physician’s assistant in person.
He added that ‘many’ of the appointments will be face-toface, but ‘about half will remain as telephone appointments’.
The health centre has been contacted for further comment.