Thousands of patients in Bath and surrounding areas are facing dangerously long waits for essential GP appointments, with many enduring pain and anxiety while urgent medical needs go unchecked. Recent data from the NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board area exposes a dramatic 179.56% increase in patients waiting over a month for a GP since July 2024, now totaling 110,718 individuals as of October.
Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, Wera Hobhouse, has sounded the alarm on these delays, stating that residents are being forced to “suffer in silence.” In response, the Liberal Democrats are campaigning for a legal guarantee ensuring patients are seen by a GP within seven days—or within 24 hours for urgent cases. Central to this plan is recruiting and retaining an additional 8,000 doctors to ease pressure on already overstretched health services.
“It is unacceptable that over 100,000 people across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire face month-long waits,” Hobhouse emphasized. “Every delay means someone endures unnecessary pain or anxiety, increasing the strain on emergency departments.”
READ MORE: Somerset Council Likely to Forego Appeal on 112-Home Development in Taunton
READ MORE: Wrestlers Face Off in High-Stakes Charity Hair vs Hair Match to Support Jessie May Hospice
The proposed healthcare rescue package also includes targeted funding to reopen surgeries in underserved areas and in regions experiencing rapid housing growth. Additionally, the plan would enable patients to book GP appointments around the clock through the NHS 111 service, offering greater accessibility.
“Our constituents deserve timely, stress-free access to care,” Hobhouse affirmed. “By establishing a legal right to GP appointments within seven days and expanding the medical workforce, we can prevent needless suffering and protect vital emergency services.”