Impact on patients in North Yorkshire of of failure to recruit more GP highlighted by Harrogate Lib Dems

A total of 474,626 GP appointments in North Yorkshire in the last year (March 22 to February 23) lasted less than five minutes, new research by the national Liberal Democrats shows.

The Liberal Democrat claim is based on Commons Library analysis of NHS figures for the year between March 2022, when the data was first published, and February 2023.

It provides a figure for the first time on the number of five-minute GP appointments over an entire year, broken down by local area.

In North Yorkshire, the Lib Dems say, 18% of all GP appointments between March last year and February this year were five minutes or less, meaning a total of 474,626.

The Lib Dems say the original source of the new data is NHS Digital: Appointments in General Practice at www.digital.nhs.uk

Commenting, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Tom Gordon said: “Many patients in Harrogate and Knaresborough need time to properly talk through their symptoms with a GP, especially when they have complex health problems.

“But the government’s failure to recruit the extra GPs they promised has meant doctors are being forced to cram in more and more short appointments.

"People are being left waiting weeks to get an appointment only to be rushed through in a matter of minutes.

“Entire communities are paying the price for years of neglect under the Conservatives, who have driven local health services into the ground.

“The Liberal Democrats have set out a plan to boost GP numbers and guarantee people a right to an appointment within one week..”

Nationally, the Lib Dems are calling on the Government to recruit 8,000 more GPs and have set out plans to give patients a legal right to see a GP within seven days.

Rishi Sunak dropped a target of recruiting 6,000 more GPs on becoming Prime Minister last October.