Getting an appointment with your GP shouldn’t feel like a challenge in itself. Yet over recent years, that’s exactly how it has felt for many people.
I’ve heard from residents across Peterborough and Huntingdonshire who have been frustrated by the rush to contact their surgery first thing in the morning, long waits for routine appointments and the difficulty of accessing NHS dentistry.
Those experiences have understandably affected people’s confidence in the NHS. That’s why improving access has to be one of the priorities as we rebuild our health service.
There are encouraging signs that we’re moving in the right direction. The latest national patient survey found that almost 77% of people now rate their overall experience of their GP practice as good, while more patients say it’s easier to contact their surgery than when Labour came into government. Access to NHS dentistry is improving too, and more people are choosing to use online services and the NHS App in ways that suit them.
Residents won’t judge those improvements by statistics alone, though. They’ll judge them by whether they can get an appointment when they need one, whether they can see a dentist without travelling miles, and whether they feel the NHS is there for them when it matters. I know there is still some way to go before that is the experience everyone has.
That’s why national improvements must be matched by investment in local services. Here in our region, the new Community Diagnostic Centre will make it easier for residents to access tests closer to home, helping people receive diagnoses more quickly and reducing the need to travel elsewhere.
I recently visited Hampton Medical Centre to hear more about plans for a purpose-built health centre that can meet the needs of our growing community. Making sure local healthcare keeps pace with new housingand a growing population will continue to be an important priority.
None of this happens without the dedication of NHS staff. Despite the pressures they’ve faced over many years, they continue to provide outstanding care every day, and they deserve enormous credit for the improvements patients are beginning to see.
Rebuilding the NHS was never going to happen overnight. Years of rising demand and underinvestment can’t be reversed in the space of a few months, but our Labour Government has made improving access to care one of its priorities. Making it easier for people to see a GP, access NHS dentistry and receive treatment more quickly is an important place to start, and it’s encouraging to see early signs that progress is being made.
Everyone deserves an NHS they can rely on. I’ll continue working with local healthcare providers, listening to residents’ experiences and making the case for investment in our area, so that more people can access the care they deserve, closer to home.