Access to GPs

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Monday 23rd June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Alex Easton]

Although the figure in Northern Ireland has recently increased to 57%, the disparity remains worrying. I am confident that every MP aspires to see good access to GP services throughout the UK and to preserve the essential interactions within GP care that are vital to the health and wellbeing of our nation.

GPs are often the first point of contact for medical attention and their role is vital. I commend their comprehensive efforts in tackling acute illnesses, managing chronic diseases and providing preventive care, among other crucial responsibilities. However, as the MP for North Down, I share the concerns of many regarding the growing demand for GP healthcare services and the accessibility of these essential services for my constituents.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I commend the hon. Member for North Down (Alex Easton). He is my neighbour and has been my friend for many years. We served in the Assembly before we ever came here. It is a pleasure to see him secure what I understand is his first Adjournment debate; it will be the first of many, no doubt.

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that trust in some GP surgeries has diminished due to the lack of face-to-face contact? While sending photographs and having discussions over the phone suits some working constituents, for others the lack of face-to-face interaction can mean that symptoms are missed that can only be seen face to face. Does he also agree that GP surgeries are struggling due to the lack of support, and that surgeries throughout the UK must be given more help and assistance so that they can thereby provide more access for their patients?

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Kinnock]

The hon. Gentleman is right; one challenge we face is that, where we are developing new centres of housing, we are not getting the social infrastructure wrapping around them. We need to use things such as section 106 agreements and the CIL, as he mentioned. That process is not always working—the developers are not always coming forward with real, concrete commitments—so the integrated care boards do not commission because they are not sure that the infrastructure will be there, and we end up in a chicken-and-egg situation. We are working closely with colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to break through some of that and attach stronger strings to the deals being done with developers. We also have the £102 million capital infrastructure scheme for primary care, which will go some way towards addressing the issue, but this is fundamentally about getting much clearer and stronger commitments from developers.

[Jim Shannon]

I thank the Minister for his responses, which have been incredibly helpful. When I think of GP access, I think of two things; the first is Strangford and the villages along the Ards peninsula, where I have lived for most of my life and where I represent. There, the best way of contacting a GP is by phone—that is the nature of the situation there—but one of the things that helps in Newtownards, which is the biggest nucleus of people in the area, is for people to go down to the surgery at 8 o’clock or half-past 8, join the queue and get their appointment there and then. That is another way of trying to access the GP; there is nothing as frustrating as being on the phone from 8 o’clock to half-past 8 or 9 o’clock and not being able to get an appointment. At least when people can see their doctor, they can definitely get one.

[Stephen Kinnock]

We have to have a mixture of access channels. The telephone is very important, as is being able to turn up in person, but we also need to shift more to online booking. I am really pleased that the new contract that we have with GPs is based on an £889 million investment that came with a lot of strings attached around reform. One of those strings is that every GP surgery—in England, at least—must have online booking facilities by 1 October. I hope that will improve access, and will make more space in the reception process for people who cannot use the internet.

We have to ensure that we get the balance right. That is why, as I mentioned, we took decisive action in October 2024. We invested £82 million in the additional roles reimbursement scheme, which was a targeted move to strengthen our frontline services and ease the pressure on practices across the country. That funding has directly supported the recruitment of over 1,700 GPs across England. Those GPs are now in place, helping to increase appointment availability and—most importantly—improving care for thousands of patients who have been struggling to get the help they need when they need it. We have also seen a rise in the number of GPs employed directly by practices over the past 12 months, which is a positive sign that general practice is stabilising and beginning to rebuild capacity on the ground. Together, these developments are making it easier for patients to access care and for practices to deliver it.