SAVE OUR SURGERIES

SAVE OUR SURGERIES
30th Nov 2023

SAVE OUR SURGERIES

Radyr Medical Centre are deeply concerned that the GP contract funding negotiations between Welsh Government, NHS Wales and GP representatives, have ended without successful resolution.

General Practice in Wales is under significant and growing strain. GP numbers are declining, demand is rising, and practices are struggling to recruit and retain staff.

General practice is being forced to try and cope with inadequate resources, an unsustainable workload, and a workforce under pressure across the whole of Wales, with some areas in crisis.

Five practices have closed in the last six months!

 

Current inadequate capacity is a product of longstanding workload, workforce, and well-being issues, which correlate to the chronic underfunding of general medical services.

BMA Cymru Wales's Save Our Surgeries campaign asks Welsh Government to commit to a rescue package for General Practice, to provide GPs and their patients with the support they need.

By taking one minute to sign this petition, you can amplify our calls for the Welsh Government to provide a rescue package for General Practice.

 Fair and Adequate Resourcing of General Practice in Wales - Petitions (senedd.wales)

 

Did you Know?

GP Practices are independent small business, contracted to the NHS. Our main funding comes from each patient registered with the Practice. We are currently funded an average of £111.40 per patient, per annum for unlimited access and provision of a range of core services, including, but not limited to, urgent/chronic/terminal care, health promotion, referral to specialist services, screening and immunisations.

As a Practice, we have seen our patient population grow by 10% in the last two years and our expenses increase 20% in the last financial year (2022-23), we anticipate the same for 2023-24. Without an increase to our funding, this is unsustainable for our Practice.

What does this mean for patients?

We are a friendly, caring, forward thinking and large training Practice (GPs, Pharmacists, Nurses, Medical Students), who have invested in building a strong multi-disciplinary team to care for our patients. The impact of Welsh Government not sufficiently increasing funding for General Practices will be:

  • Difficulty retaining valuable practice team members and future recruitment (clinical and non clinical) as we will struggle to offer terms and conditions which mirror the NHS
  • Reduction in services provided to manage costs
  • Longer waits for patients to access routine (non urgent care)
  • Increased patient concern and frustration
  • Impact on morale amongst the practice team (including trainees) and subsequent impact on wellbeing, as we want to provide patients with safe and timely care.
  • 91 GP Practices (20%) in Wales have permanently closed in the last 10 years. Five in the last six months!

What can you do to save you surgery?

Please:

Constituencies: Cardiff West - Andrew RT Davies MS (Conservative) (email: AndrewRT.Davies@senedd.wales)

Regional - South Wales Central:

Members of Parliament: Cardiff West Constituency - Kevin Brennan (Labour) (email: brennank@parliment.uk )

If you are a Radyr / Morganstown community group and you would like us to come talk to you and your members about this, please e-mail hannah.bird@wales.nhs.uk