In a question to the First Minister today designed to safeguard patients and alleviate the pressure on selfless frontline Primary Care staff, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has called for the Welsh Government to undertake a review of the number of patients that any single practice can have on the books, as well as the working hours of practices.
According to the Community Health Council, people in parts of Wales are facing a "crisis of access" to GPs. The Betsi Health Board estimates that, in the local practices it manages, demand for appointments has increased by up to 20%. Last week, in recognising the pressures being felt, Mrs Finch-Saunders similarly called on the First Minister to review the support available to GPs to enable a much easier and greater interface with patients.
Commenting after her question, Janet said:
“Demand on our Primary Care services is increasing as patients have understandably stored issues throughout the previous eighteen months of challenge.
“However, one such concern that may be contributing to the issue is the fact that the Welsh Government allows an unrestricted number of patients per doctor, and also pays little attention to the number of patients over the age of 65. This can only skew demand pressures where a surgery has taken on a larger volume of residents.
“According to the July 2021 GP Practice Analysis, produced by the Shared Services Partnership, one surgery in my constituency has over 6000 registered patients for only two doctors. We should not underestimate the negative impact that this demand pressure can have on both Primary Service staff and vulnerable patients.
“This is why I have urged the First Minister to collaborate with the Welsh Health Minister to review the number of patients that any single practice can have on the books, and to reconsider the working hours of our practices so that they can be targeted to meet the demands of modern life.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
