Montgomeryshire MS, Russell George has thrown his support behind a campaign to save General Practice in Wales and claims that more of our GP surgeries could disappear without further support from the Welsh Government
The British Medical Association Cymru (BMA) launched a campaign 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.
Dr Gareth Oelmann, chair of GPC Wales, sent an open letter to GPs across Wales announcing the development which said:
“The financial settlement on offer from Welsh Government did not match our reasonable expectation of an uplift to the contract value that would help to counter the damaging impact of soaring inflation on practice costs and staffing expenses. With no credible financial offer on the table and no tangible mitigations offered, prolonging the negotiation process would be futile. Unless there are any new and significant proposals brought to the table by Welsh Government, we do not foresee any further discussions on this year’s contract.’’
Local Senedd Member, Russell George raised the Save our Surgeries campaign with the Health minister, Eluned Morgan in the Senedd this week (10/01/2024). Mr George also raised the fact that he was due to visit Newtown Medical practice to discuss this exact campaign as well as the current pressures.
Following raising the issues facing GPs in the Senedd, Mr George 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 Governments 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.’
