This week, representatives from the British Medical Association’s Welsh GP Committee gave evidence at the Health and Social Committee’s ‘Future of General Practice’ Inquiry at the Senedd, highlighting the precarious state of the service.
The inquiry was established in response to the BMA’s ‘Save Our Surgeries’ campaign*, which calls on the Welsh Government to provide a rescue package for general practice and invited GPs from across Wales to discuss the issues affecting the sustainability of their practices.
At the inquiry, Dr Gareth Oelmann and Dr Ian Harris, Chair and Deputy Chair of the BMA’s Welsh GP committee, shared evidence from GPs from across Wales who provided their experiences of the impact of severe funding cuts.
Their concerns included the current, outdated funding formula, GP shortages, unemployment, the significant financial impact of the rise in national insurance contributions and the unsafe and unsuitable state of some GP estates.
Dr Gareth Oelmann, chair of the BMA’s Welsh GP committee, said:
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to share the very real concerns of our members.It is essential for the public and politicians to understand the extreme pressures on general practice and the resulting challenges in accessing timely appointments.
“Colleagues consistently report financial challenges, including difficulties hiring additional GPs to meet increasing patient demand and uncertainty regarding the job security of practice staff.
“Today, we emphasised that without adequate funding for general practice, including a more equitable allocation of the NHS budget, general practice is at risk of collapse, which would subsequently impact the entire NHS.
“A recent BMA survey shows that 89% of GPs in Wales say they are unable to meet patient demand. With one hundred fewer surgeries for patients to turn to, GPs are now seeing up to 35% more patients each, causing burnout, with doctors forced to work less than full-time to survive.
“That is why we are seeking a fairer portion of the NHS budget, safeguards to protect patient and GP safety with a national maximum standard of patients per day, a workforce strategy to improve the retention and recruitment of GPs, and measures to address staff wellbeing.”
