FOCUS ON GP APPOINTMENTS AND SERVICES

House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that the number of people in Rochdale waiting 14 days or longer for a GP appointment saw a +5% 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 Rochdale has spiked by +5% to 215,574 in 2023, up from 204,620 the previous year.

Zulfiqar Ali stated that “Far too many people in Rochdale 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.”

“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.”