Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Millions of us facing week-long wait for GP
1 in 3 struggle to even get calls through
AROUND 12 million people now face waits of over a week to see their GP, a study suggests.
The number has almost doubled since the Tories took power in 2010, with a quarter of all patients affected.
A Labour analysis of general practice data also reveals one in three patients – 17 million – struggle to even contact their local surgery by phone.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror today, Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth reveals Labour would boost primary care funding, including GPS, by £900million this year as part of a £5billion rescue package for the NHS. And he slams the Health Secretary for backing private online GP apps while millions cannot access NHS medics.
Mr Ashworth said: “Everyone knows how difficult it is to see a GP now. We’ve all been there, on a Monday morning, ringing hundreds of times.
“And even when you do get through, it’s so difficult to get an appointment straightaway. This is one of the huge frustrations patients have – and it’s because of years of austerity, years of cuts to our NHS.”
The Tories have continually vowed to recruit more GPS. But Labour found the number has dropped from 66.5 per 100,000 patients in 2012 to 62 per 100,000 last year. We previously highlighted how GPS are either quitting in despair or seeing so many people they say patient safety is put at risk. Mr Ashworth said: “Primary care has been a key failure of this Government’s performance on the NHS. Every year, it has got harder and harder to see a GP.
“Our plans would mean an extra £900million for primary care this year, ensuring GPS have the resources they need to provide better and more accessible services”