GP Wait Times in Dorset Reach Record High: Urgent Action Needed to Save Our Family Doctors

New figures have revealed an alarming rise in GP waiting times across Dorset, with thousands of local residents struggling to access the care they need.

Since January, over 377,000 GP appointments in Dorset have had wait-times of more than 28 days, a staggering 165% increase compared to five years ago. The number of patients waiting more than two weeks has also more than doubled, rising from 409,139 in 2020 to 973,538 this year.

These figures reflect a growing crisis in our local health service, and I share the frustration that so many residents have expressed about the difficulty in getting a GP appointment when they need one.

Listening to Local Concerns

Earlier this year, I launched my Health Survey to better understand the challenges people across Mid Dorset and North Poole are facing when it comes to accessing care. More than 1,700 people responded, and by far the biggest concern was GP access.

Residents told me about long waits, surgeries struggling to recruit permanent GPs, and the lack of new facilities in growing communities such as Wimborne, Upton and Bearwood. It’s clear that both patients and practice staff are under huge pressure, and the system simply isn’t coping.

A Plan to Save Our GP Services

Together with my Liberal Democrat colleagues, I am calling for an emergency package to save our family doctors, including:

• A guaranteed right to a GP appointment within seven days, or 24 hours if it’s urgent.

• A dedicated fund to reopen closed surgeries and prevent GP “deserts”.

• A 24/7 booking system via NHS 111, ending the stressful “8am scramble”.

• A major recruitment and retention drive to secure thousands of new family doctors.

  
  

National Picture, Local Impact

Across England, the situation is just as worrying. Research from the House of Commons Library shows that since 2020, the number of people waiting more than 14 days for a GP appointment has increased by 121% and waits of over 28 days have risen by 123%.

These figures are not just numbers, they represent people waiting in pain, worried families, and overworked staff who are desperate to provide care but lack the resources to do so.

My Message to Government

It’s time for the Government to act. Our family doctors are the backbone of the NHS, but they are being pushed to breaking point. We need urgent investment, practical reforms, and a fair deal for both patients and healthcare staff.

The Government should deliver a right for every patient to be seen within seven days or 24 hours if urgent, so that no one is denied care when they need it.