Warning over future of local GP surgeries

GP surgeries in the area are under threat due to lack of funding from the Welsh Government, doctors and Montgomery Senedd Member, Russell George, have warned.

Mr George visited Newtown Medical Practice to discuss the problems facing the surgery.

It follows the launch of a campaign by the British Medical Association Cymru (BMA) called ‘Save our surgeries’. The BMA have said that the campaign offers a plan to save general practice in Wales via four key recommendations.

The Save Our Surgeries report shows that there are just 2,324 GPs in Wales with only 1,445 working full-time and over a quarter (26.6%) are planning to leave the profession in the near future according to the BMA’s latest survey.

The BMA entered into contract negotiations with Welsh Government but contract negotiations between the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and BMA Cymru Wales’s GP Committee (GPC Wales) ended in October without a resolution.

Mr George raised the Save our Surgeries campaign with the Health minister, Eluned Morgan in the Senedd this week. 
 
He then visited Dr Rebekha Price at Newtown Medical Practice to meet with herself, and colleagues to discuss the current issues facing GPs and to wider campaign. Dr Price made clear the issues facing her practice as well as those across Wales in more detail.
 
Commenting after the visit, Mr George said: "I am grateful to Dr Price for inviting me to visit her practice and to talk in detail with her staff, so that I can have an on the ground understanding of the pressure General practice are facing.
 
"The Welsh Government's Health Minister has not matched the UK Government pay offer for doctors, which is at least 20% higher for most healthcare staff. This becomes even more disappointing when we recognise that Wales has for a long time received £1.20 for every £1 spent in England.
 
"I back BMA Cymrus four point plan, the Save Our Surgeries campaign lays bare the impact of long-term underinvestment in general practice and its consequent impacts upon workload, workforce and wellbeing.
 
"The Welsh Government must get back around the negotiating table and commit to a rescue package that backs GPs and their patients with the correct level of support or we will see the current crisis worsening in Wales, with no end in sight."