MP condemns ‘disgrace’ as patients wait more than a month for GP appointments

North Devon’s MP has said residents are ‘suffering in silence’ as new Liberal Democrat data has revealed more than 150,000 people in Devon are having to wait more than a month for GP appointments.

Ian Roome was speaking following the release of the :Lib Dem analysis that showed in October, 154,161 patients in the NHS Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB) area waited a month-plus for an appointment. They say this is a 262.61% increase from July 2024, when the Labour government took office.

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Mr Roome has warned the delays are leaving residents to ‘suffer in silence’ while piling even more pressure onto overstretched urgent and emergency care services.

He said: “It is a disgrace that over 150,000 people in the NHS Devon ICB were forced to wait over a month for a GP appointment.

“When people aren’t able to see a doctor and vital symptoms are left unchecked, this ends up inevitably putting more pressure on our already stretched A&E services at North Devon District Hospital.

“Patients were already advised earlier this month to only attend Devon hospitals’ A&E if they had a life-threatening illness or injury - it is not sustainable nor fair for patients or hard-working staff alike.”

The Liberal Democrats are campaigning for a GP ‘rescue package’, including a new legal right to see a GP within seven days, or 24 hours if urgent, backed by plans to recruit and retain 8,000 more doctors.

They say North Devon, where communities are spread across towns and rural villages and public transport can be limited, long GP waits can quickly escalate into bigger problems, from children missing school to people turning to A&E when they can’t get timely help.

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Constituents who have recently contacted Mr Roome have shared how delays are affecting daily life.

One resident said she phoned her GP in early November but was told that she couldn’t see her doctor for weeks. She described this as ‘unacceptable’ and shared her concerns about the impact new housing developments will have on the system.

Another said she could not get her son a GP appointment despite him having a contagious infection. With no access to a doctor, he was left off school for days.