Millions of UK Patients Unable to Reach GPs in December, Highlighting Healthcare Access Crisis
More than one million patients in the UK struggled to contact their general practitioners (GPs) in December, exacerbating concerns over access to primary healthcare, according to research by the Liberal Democrats. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that 4.8 million people were unable to reach their GP on the same day they attempted, with 2.2 million patients facing delays of several days for an appointment.
The situation was particularly dire for over 1.1 million patients who couldn’t access their NHS GP at all during the month. Fewer than half of those who managed to secure an appointment had face-to-face consultations, and more than 100,000 were advised to self-manage their conditions. The Liberal Democrats have called for immediate government intervention to address the crisis.
The government has responded by announcing plans to recruit an additional 1,000 GPs and a funding package of £889 million ($1.12 billion) to strengthen primary care services. Additionally, efforts will be made to restore the family doctor system, ensuring that patients see the same doctor at each appointment.
