Overview
- House of Commons Library research, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, reports national highs for two- and four-week GP waits, with appointments delayed over 14 days rising from 19.7 million in 2020 to 43.5 million and over 28 days from 5.8 million to 12.9 million.
- In Dorset, more than 377,000 appointments since January involved waits over 28 days, a 165% rise versus five years ago, while waits over two weeks climbed from 409,000 in 2020 to more than 973,000 this year.
- West Sussex recorded 293,956 appointments with waits beyond 28 days since January, more than double the same period five years ago, alongside a rise in two-week-plus waits from 381,153 in 2020 to 877,555 this year.
- Oxfordshire logged 128,863 appointments delayed more than 28 days since January, over twice the figure five years ago, with two-week-plus waits increasing from 227,858 in 2020 to 505,002 this year.
- Liberal Democrat MPs propose a legal right to a GP appointment within seven days or 24 hours if urgent, a fund to reopen surgeries, 24/7 booking via NHS 111, and large-scale recruitment and training, citing A&E spillover and pressure from new housing where GP capacity has not kept pace.