The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has spoken of the need for the Welsh Government to urgently update their guidance on the resumption of face-to-face GP appointments, having written to fourteen local practices to examine how she can assist with the demands on Primary Care providers.
In a Welsh Conservative debate on the strain felt by the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust yesterday, Mrs Finch-Saunders made clear that a compounding factor locally was the inability for some patients to access face-to-face GP appointments. Her intervention comes as the Community Health Council (CHC) told BBC News Wales that many patients have been left waiting for up to an hour on the phone to speak to someone.
Figures released by the BMA Cymru in May 2021 found that GPs are now facing 18% higher rates of appointments than pre-Covid levels. A recent survey by the Royal College of GPs also found that around 88% of staff believe that in-person appointments are important for building trusting patient relationships.
Making clear the need for action, Janet said:
“Over previous months I have been increasingly concerned about the number of residents who are struggling to get a face to face GP appointment, opposed to a virtual or telephone one. This is why, following a meeting with the Royal College of GPs Wales, I wrote to fourteen local practices to see how I could offer greater support.
“The Welsh Government’s guidance for GP surgeries to continue to use online or telephone services is placing further pressure on emergency services, including the Welsh Ambulance Service. So too is the advice in my constituency for people presenting with mental health concerns to head to A&E instead of improving local access to such specialised support.
“We know that the lack of face-to-face appointments appears to be hitting our elderly residents the most. Indeed, research tells us that only around 75% of men and 68% of women aged between 65 and 74 use the internet. Personable, face-to-face appointments are also essential to building long-term, trusting relationships.
“Whilst it is true that the use of digital technology has played an important role in allowing for the continuation of our Primary Care services during Covid-19, the onus should now be on supporting the return of more face-to-face appointments for those patients most in need. This means reviewing the telephone booking systems being used by surgeries to ensure that it can cope with triage demands.”
ENDS
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