September 15th 2024.
The recent Darzi report has brought to light a concerning issue within the NHS - the shortage of General Practitioners (GPs) in the UK. It has been revealed that over 10 million people have had to wait a month or longer to get an appointment with their GP so far this year. These statistics suggest that 2024 is on track to be a year with record-breaking long wait times to see a family doctor in England. In fact, in Gloucestershire, the worst-performing area in the country, 10.1% of appointments have had waits of four weeks or more.
Lord Darzi's scathing report on the state of the NHS, released just last week, shed light on the fact that there are almost 16% fewer fully qualified GPs in the UK compared to other high-income countries, taking into account the population. The Liberal Democrats, who provided the data on long wait times, are urging the Labour government to prioritize the NHS in their upcoming budget. Party leader Sir Ed Davey stated that addressing the GP crisis is crucial in saving the NHS, as quicker access to a GP can prevent people from ending up in the hospital. This, in turn, is beneficial for both the individual and the NHS, as well as for taxpayers.
Sir Ed Davey proposed that individuals should have the right to see their GP within seven days, or within 24 hours if the issue is urgent. The Darzi report also heavily criticized the reforms implemented by former health secretary Andrew Lansley in 2012, which took effect during the coalition government with the Conservatives, in which the Liberal Democrats were also involved. The report described these reforms as a "calamity without international precedent" and "disastrous."
Deputy leader and health spokesperson Daisy Cooper expressed her belief that the Lansley reforms were a mistake and that the Liberal Democrats fought hard within the coalition to protect the day-to-day spending on health and education. She also mentioned that the Liberal Democrat conference, currently taking place in Brighton, has focused heavily on health and social care policy. This comes after the party's best-ever result in the General Election in July, which saw them gaining 72 seats, up from 15 before the vote.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the dire state of the NHS and the neglect faced by general practice. They assured that the government is committed to addressing this issue by shifting the focus of healthcare from hospitals to the community. In addition, the government has pledged to hire an extra 1,000 GPs into the NHS by the end of this year and has allocated an additional £311 million towards GP contract funding for the upcoming year.
As the Liberal Democrat conference continues, with speeches from Cooper and Davey expected to heavily feature the NHS, it is clear that the state of the NHS and the need for reform is at the forefront of political discussions. The hope is that with continued efforts and commitments, the GP crisis and the larger issues within the NHS can be addressed and improved.
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