CUMBRIAN MP SLAMS GOVERNMENT AS ONE IN SIX WAITING MORE THAN TWO WEEKS FOR GP APPOINTMENT

Today, Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has slammed the Government’s handling of the NHS crisis as it is revealed that 21% and 15% of patients in Morecambe Bay and North Cumbria waited over two weeks for a GP appointment in May this year.

The shocking statistics, from research conducted by the Liberal Democrats, comes whilst they are calling on the Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, to launch a ‘GP rescue plan’. The plan includes incentives for retired GPs to come back to work under better working conditions and guaranteeing patients an appointment within seven days.

At its worst, 22% of patients in Morecambe Bay were waiting over two weeks for their first appointment in April of this year – almost 30,000 people. Peak waiting times for patients in North Cumbria were in May 2023 leaving just under 27,000 patients waiting for over two weeks for urgently needed GP appointments.

Speaking today, Tim said: “We desperately need to solve this crisis within our NHS and particularly when it comes to waiting times for GP appointments.

“They are the first port of call for many people and a good GP can help save lives by diagnosing illnesses early so patients can get the treatment they need.

“The Conservative Government has completely failed to incentivise more staff into GP practices to start tackling this issue.

“The Conservatives must start to take action and solve this patient backlog rather than burying their heads in the sand.

“Conservative Ministers must back our GP rescue plan and guarantee everyone a GP appointment within a week as anything else is failing patients up and down the country.”