Access to GP appointments

Motion Text

That this House regrets that many people are struggling to access GP appointments; notes that on average one GP surgery a week has closed and month-long waits for GP appointments have increased by over 250,000 this Parliament; acknowledges that prolonged waits for GP appointments are terrible for patients' physical health, wellbeing and employment; recognises that long waits further increase pressure on A&E departments; calls on the Government to end the crisis in general practice by implementing the Liberal Democrat's GP rescue package, which would introduce a new legal right to see a GP within seven days, or 24 hours if urgent, by recruiting and retaining 8,000 more doctors; and further calls on the Government to launch a dedicated fund to open surgeries in rural and under-served areas.