Completed petition Petition to Save General Practice

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Despite carrying out 90% of all NHS patient contacts, general practice only receives 8.39% of the NHS budget in the UK — an historic low. By 2017, this is projected to plunge to just 7.29%

As a result, general practice is facing a growing crisis.

Due to the sheer volume of GP workloads, in this year alone, patients will have to wait longer than a week to see their GP on at least 27m occasions.

And, according to a poll carried out in March, more than three fifths of the public now believe that the number of patient consultations carried out by GPs — up to 60 per day — is threatening the level of patient care.

To protect high quality services for all patients, I call on the First Minister to increase the share of the NHS budget spent on general practice in Wales to 11% by 2017.

This shift in funding would enable general practice to deliver: Shorter waiting times for appointments and more flexible opening hours

Longer consultations, especially for people with long term conditions.

 More opportunity for patients to see a GP who knows them

Better care co-ordination and planning, especially for the elderly and those with complex needs

Positive benefits for the NHS as a whole, reducing pressure on hospitals

GP surgeries sit at the heart of local communities. I demand that the Welsh Government acts now to ensure practices have the resources they need to continue to provide the high quality care patients deserve.