The doctor will see you - in 28 days! Councillors to discuss health access issues as figures show some patients faced a four week wait for a GP appointment in Calderdale

Latest NHS statistics say more than 9,000 Calderdale people had to wait at least 28 days to see their GP in October.

More than 17,000 had to wait two weeks, say the latest figures, available on the NHS Digital website.

Calderdale councillors will discuss a detailed report into General Practice amid ongoing concerns about access for local patients when they meet tonight (Thursday December 8).

The cross-party report brings recommendations on retention of staff and workforce, complaints, GP management systems, practice administration and practices working in line with the Fuller Report which aims to build neighbourhood responses to health.

Meanwhile, one of Calderdale’s MPs, Holly Lynch (Labour, Halifax), speaking in Parliament this week, said every family had a story about difficulty accessing care.

“Access to see a GP varies across Halifax but too many people are finding it impossible to see a doctor at some surgeries,” she said.

“Among those thousands waiting more than a month or not getting an appointment at all, there will be conditions going undiagnosed until they are much harder to treat.”

Ms Lynch said the new data shows more people are waiting a month for a GP appointment than at any time since records began in 2017.

She said her party has announced plans to abolish the non-dom tax status, which allows some wealthy people who live in Britain to pay their taxes overseas, to pay for training a new generation of NHS staff to help fill gaps.

Ms Lynch claimed Labour’s plan would double the number of medical school places, training 15,000 new doctors a year, train 10,000 additional nurses and midwives every year, double the number of district nurses qualifying each year and train 5,000 new health visitors.

She also said Labour’s plan will see patients guaranteed a face-to-face appointment with a GP if they want one, and said her party pledged to bring back the “family doctor”, so patients can see the same GP each appointment if they choose to.

Adults, Health and Scrutiny councillors will consider the report in their meeting today, via a Zoom call. It begins at 6pm and it is screened via Calderdale Council’s YouTube channel.