Anger at the 194,635 four week waits for a GP appointment locally last year
- Four week waits for a GP appointment in West Leicestershire reached194,635 last year
- It is a 50% increase on those waiting more than 28 days compared to 2022
- The number waiting 14 days or longer in West Leicestershire saw a 31% increase from 2022
The NHS data measures the time between when the appointment was booked and when it took place. It showed that the number of appointments that saw patients wait two weeks or longer in West Leicestershire has spiked by 31% to 577,370 in 2023, up from 441,383 previous year.
It means the proportion of appointments where a patient waited two weeks or longer in West Leicestershire has risen to 22.5% up from 18.1% in 2022.
Leicestershire’s Liberal Democrats have criticised the Conservative government for letting the community down with their neglect of local health services.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a legal right to get a GP appointment within seven days, or 24 hours if in urgent need.
The policy would enshrine this right in the NHS Constitution, putting a duty on the government and health service to make sure it happens. It would be achieved by increasing the number of GPs, and increasing the number of nurses and pharmacists fully qualified to prescribe day to day medicines.
Commenting, Cllr Michael Mullaney Leader of the opposition on Leicestershire County Council said:
“Far too many people in Hinckley and Bosworth and the rest of Leicestershire are struggling to get a GP appointment when they need one. It is causing people huge anxiety because they can't be confident any more of getting the care they need.
“It shows our community has been totally abandoned by this government when it comes to local health services.
“Being able to see a GP when you need to should not be too much to ask, but even on this measure people are being failed after years of neglect by this Conservative government.
“That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for a legal right for all patients to see their GP within seven days or 24-hours if in urgent need.”