Figures show some Banbury and Bicester patients wait 28+ days for a GP appointment - Labour calls for more medical training

The group is calling on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to use Wednesday’s budget to fund more medical training places to ease the situation.

Banbury Labour leader Sean Woodcock said in a statement that new NHS data reveals 2,198 people in Banbury and Bicester faced a wait of 28 days or more to see a GP last month. A further 6,488 people had to wait more than two weeks.

He said Labour is calling on Mr Hunt to adopt its plan to double medical school places and train 10,000 more nurses and midwives.

One and a quarter million people across England had to wait more than 28 days to see a GP in January alone, Mr Woodcock said, while a further three million had to wait more than two weeks.

At the same time, the number of qualified GPs fell to a record low, leaving patients in a desperate scramble to be seen.

The NHS has proposed that the Government adopt Labour’s plan to double medical school places but the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, is currently refusing to fund it, said Mr Woodcock.

Labour’s plan includes doubling the number of medical school places, creating 10,000 new nursing and midwifery placements each year, doubling the number of district nurses qualifying each year and providing 5,000 new health visitors.

Mr Woodcock said Labour would pay for the plans by abolishing non-dom tax status, which allows some of the mega-rich to avoid paying tax in the UK by declaring their permanent residence to be outside the country.

“Our NHS is on its knees thanks to 13 years of Tory neglect,” he said. “Far too many patients in Banbury and Bicester can’t see a GP when they need to. The sad truth is that means conditions going undiagnosed until it is too late.

“The NHS is desperately short of staff. Labour plans to double medical school places – a plan the NHS itself backs.

“Patients should be able to see the doctor they choose, when they need to. Under the Conservatives that’s just not happening. The next Labour government will change that; we will put patients first and get them seen on time again.”

Mr Woodcock said the party is also promising patients would be guaranteed a face-to-face appointment with a GP if they want one. While some patients prefer to hold appointments over the phone, many are frustrated at not being able to see their doctor in person and just 22 per cent of patients are given a choice in the type of appointment they have. One in seven people who try to speak to a nurse or GP were unable to get an appointment at all last year.

Mr Woodcock said Labour is also pledging to bring back the ‘family doctor’, so patients can see the same GP each appointment if they choose to.

"Patients are increasingly unable to see the doctor of their choice, with two in three rarely or never speaking to their preferred doctor, up from just half in 2018. Under Labour’s plans, GP practices will be provided with incentives to offer patients continuity of care, so doctors must take into account patients’ preferences,” he said.