Dear Health Minister,

While Covid restrictions are being eased across the UK, it is clear that many GP practices in Wales remain firmly in full lockdown mode.  A recent report in the Western Mail said that patients of a new Health Centre in Swansea had to make 100 calls on average before they could arrange an appointment.  This is not an isolated case.  Signatories of this petition have either experienced exactly the same problems with their own GP practices or have elderly relatives becoming increasingly distressed because they are unable to make appointments to see a doctor or practice nurse.  Some report that they have parents with a chronic health condition or others needing follow-up treatment following serious illness and find it almost impossible to contact their surgeries. 

One of the main issues is that appointment systems adopted by GPs during lockdown are still being used by many practices. Many still have only one telephone appointment system for both urgent and non-urgent cases where all patients have to call at 8 am. Telephone lines are constantly engaged and within minutes all available appointments have gone.  Many practices are still closed to patients for face-to-face appointments offering either telephone appointments or Zoom consultations.  We believe that this particularly disadvantages those without access to technology. 

We are seeking urgent action from the Welsh Government to address the current crisis and to request that GP practices resume pre-lockdown services to their patients.

We believe the Welsh Government should require GP practices to offer alternatives to patients for appointment bookings.  This should include a percentage of daily appointments bookable online for non-urgent appointments.  Patients should also be able to book in person at surgeries provided social distancing measures are in place.

As nightclubs reopen and mass events can now take place, we cannot see why GPs should not resume face-to-face consultations provided patients have had both vaccines and social distancing measures are implemented in waiting areas.

We accept that the primary care sector has been under extreme pressure during the Covid pandemic.  But we believe that the current situation is untenable and patients are not receiving the care they need from their GP practices – particularly many frail elderly and chronically sick people. 

If additional resources are needed to resolve the current problems we would request that this is given urgent consideration.