Over half of Wales GPs say they cannot meet patient demand, BMA survey finds
More than half of GPs in Wales say they routinely cannot meet patient demand, according to a survey by the British Medical Association.
The BMA Cymru Wales Workforce, Workload and Wellbeing Survey, which has run since 2023, took responses from 221 GPs across Wales.
54% of those surveyed described patient access as routinely inadequate.
The BMA attributes this to what it calls severe and sustained underinvestment in general practice.
70% of GPs said their workload was routinely or constantly affecting their own personal wellbeing.
63% said it was routinely or constantly affecting patient care.
Practices told the BMA they are making changes to cope.
62% reported increased personal workloads.
43% reported recruitment freezes.
31% said they had deferred investment in premises, IT or facilities.
23% said they had reduced service provision, including minor surgery and shared care.
The survey also points to a fragile workforce.
Only 62% of GP partners surveyed said they planned to remain a partner in three years.
The BMA said the findings, published as part of its Save Our Surgeries campaign, follow 106 surgery closures.
It said the number of full time equivalent GPs in Wales has fallen by 20% since 2012.
Citing StatsWales data, the BMA said this has led to a 31% increase in the number of patients per full time GP.
General practice currently receives 6% of the total NHS budget for Wales, the BMA said.
Dr Gareth Oelmann, chair of the BMA’s GP committee in Wales, said: “We want to ensure every patient can secure an appropriate and timely appointment, but how can that be delivered when practices are unable to invest in staff and services? This is taking its toll on both doctors and patient care.”
He said the BMA shared the Welsh Government’s ambition to deliver care closer to home.
“We now need to see urgent action from the new Welsh Government,” Oelmann said.
He pointed to a recent Senedd inquiry into the future of general practice as further backing for the survey’s findings.
“With sustained, meaningful investment, family doctors would be able to enhance their services and plan for the long term, investing in more GPs and being able to provide patients with safe, timely care,” he said.
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