GP ACCESS A ‘POSTCODE LOTTERY’
Some areas in England now have almost 3,000 registered patients for every fully qualified GP, new analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.
The stark postcode lottery was uncovered through the House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats.
Across the country, the number of registered patients at GP practices has increased by 7 per cent to 62 million since 2016, an increase of over 4 million. Meanwhile the number of fully qualified GPs has fallen by 7 per cent to 27,375 over the same period, a fall of 1,946. It means that across England there are now 2,273 patients per fully qualified GP, up from 1,981 in 2016.
South Lakes MP, Tim Farron, has said the rising number of patients and fall in fully trained GPs was creating "a perfect storm" that has led to many people finding it almost impossible to book an appointment. Within Tim's constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale there are now 2,073 patients per GP which is a 25% increase on 2016 numbers.
Even the constituencies of Health Ministers have seen sharp rises. In the Health Secretary Steve Barclay's own backyard of Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, there are 2,336 registered patients per qualified GP, up 20% compared to six years ago. Meanwhile, in Health Minister Maria Caulfield's Lewes seat, the number of registered patients per GP shot up by 21% to 2,404 compared to six years ago.
Tim is backing calls from the Liberal Democrats for 8,000 new GPs to be recruited to enable all patients to be given a legal right to see a GP within seven days, or within 24 hours if in urgent need. The extra GPs would be recruited by increasing training places, fixing NHS pension rules and launching a campaign to encourage retired doctors to return to practice.
Speaking today, Tim said: "The state of our local health services is creating the perfect storm. The situation is dangerous, the willing ignorance by the Conservative government on these struggles is a threat to life. What on earth are we paying our taxes for if people can't access the services they are supposedly paying for."