September 15th 2024.
A recent report by Lord Darzi on the state of the National Health Service (NHS) has raised concerns about the shortage of General Practitioners (GPs) in the UK. The report highlighted that there has been a significant increase in the number of people waiting for GP appointments, with over 10 million cases of wait times exceeding a month recorded so far this year.
These figures suggest that 2024 is set to be a year with record-breaking wait times to see a family doctor in England. In fact, in Gloucestershire, which was found to be the worst-performing region in the country, 10.1% of appointments involved a wait of four weeks or more. This is a worrying trend that needs to be addressed urgently.
Lord Darzi's report also revealed that there are almost 16% fewer fully qualified GPs in the UK compared to other high-income countries when considering the population. In light of these alarming statistics, the Liberal Democrats have urged for the NHS to be given top priority in the upcoming Budget by the Labour government next month.
Party leader Sir Ed Davey emphasized the critical role of GPs in the healthcare system, stating that by reducing wait times, fewer people would end up in hospitals, which would not only be beneficial for patients but also for the NHS and taxpayers. He further called for the right to see a GP within seven days, or 24 hours in cases of urgent medical needs.
The Darzi report also criticized the reforms introduced by former health secretary Andrew Lansley in 2012, which came into effect during the coalition government with the Conservatives, in which the Liberal Democrats were also involved. The current Health Secretary Wes Streeting has acknowledged the need for significant reforms in the NHS.
Lib Dem deputy leader and health spokesperson Daisy Cooper expressed her regret over the Lansley reforms, labeling them as a mistake. She mentioned that during the coalition period, the Liberal Democrats had fought to protect the spending on health and education in real terms.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care admitted that the NHS is in dire need of attention and promised to shift the focus of healthcare from hospitals to the community. They also announced the government's commitment to recruit an additional 1,000 GPs by the end of this year and provide an extra £311 million towards GP contract funding.
The ongoing Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton has put health and social care policy at the forefront, with speeches from Cooper and Davey expected to address the NHS. The conference follows the party's successful performance in the recent General Election, where they saw a significant increase in the number of MPs. With the NHS being a crucial issue for the party, it is expected to be a major talking point in the conference.
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