BLMK area lost 27 GPs as number of registered patients soars past 1 million

Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB has 27 fewer GPs than it did in December 2016. This loss of essential primary care comes as the number of registered patients in the area rises by 11% to well over 1 million - the 7th largest increase in the country. Bedford Liberal Democrats are calling for a fair deal for Bedford Borough, so residents can get access to the primary health care they need.

The number of patients per GP has grown from 2,304 in December 2016 to 2,720 in December last year. The analysis by the Liberal Democrats, based on research from the House of Commons Library, has exposed the growing shortage of family doctors that is leaving people in Bedford Borough struggling to get appointments. Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to invest in GP services and prioritise GP surgery infrastructure to ensure people can get a doctors' appointment when they need one.

Across the country, the number of registered patients at GP practices has increased by 7 per cent to 62 million since 2016, an increase of over 4 million. Meanwhile the number of fully qualified GPs has fallen by 7 per cent to 27,375 over the same period, a fall of 1,946. It means that across England there are now 2,273 patients per fully qualified GP, up from 1,981 in 2016.

The new figures come after it was revealed that the BLMK area missed out on eight new trainee GPs because the region lacked surgery space for them to work.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said "These figures confirm what we already knew: Bedford Borough needs more GPs and we need more GP surgery space so that these GPs can work. Our hardworking GPs and health care staff are under immense pressure to provide quality care and they need more help. The government can't ignore this issue anymore. Our residents deserve a fair deal when it comes to access to primary care."

You can sign Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats' petition calling for a fair deal for Bedford Borough with an increase in the number of GPs in our area to provide improved access for those in need at https://bedfordlibdems.org.uk/GPShortage.