There is just one GP for every 2,462 people in Milton Keynes, figures reveal

Many people are struggling to book an appointment, say councillors
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Milton Keynes is one of the worst hit areas in the country for a shortage of GPs, new analysis by local Liberal Democrats has revealed.

The news comes as many people are struggling to book an appointment with their GP, with services increasingly under pressure from rising demand.

Data shows there was just one GP per 2,462 people in the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes area in June 2021. This compares to the national average of one GP per 2,038 people.

We need more GPs, say Lib Dem councillors in Milton KeynesWe need more GPs, say Lib Dem councillors in Milton Keynes
We need more GPs, say Lib Dem councillors in Milton Keynes

Five years ago there was one GP per 2,092 people in the same area - a difference of 18%.

The number of GPs employed in the area has also fallen by 12% to just 390 in the same period.

Milton Keynes Liberal Democrats said the alarming figures, based on analysis by the House of Commons Library, revealed the stark “postcode lottery” facing GP patients.

The party is calling on the government to invest in GP services to ensure people can get a doctors’ appointment when they need one.

Further analysis by the British Medical Association (BMA) shows a dismal picture overall for GPs, with the equivalent of more than 1,900 fewer fully qualified, full-time GPs now, compared to 2015.

The picture is similarly bleak when compared to the UK’s international neighbours.

Lib Dem Councillor Jane Carr, who is deputy group leader on Milton Keynes Council, said: “The Conservative government are badly letting down both GPs and patients in Milton Keynes, residents deserve a fair deal. Instead of fixing the GP shortage crisis, the Conservatives are making it worse by failing to train the new doctors we desperately need.

“The worsening GP shortage has given rise to a postcode lottery, with our hard-working GPs overstretched and people left waiting too long for treatment or even an appointment."

She added: "Families rely on being able to see a GP when they or their children fall sick to get advice, access treatment and get well again. The government must invest more in our GP practices and train up more doctors, to ensure patients get the fair deal they deserve.”