GPs say ‘intolerable’ waiting lists cannot improve without properly funded primary care

GPs in Northern Ireland have said they cannot do their part to ease waiting lists without proper funding commitments.

Dr Ursula Mason, chair of the Royal College of GPs NI, made the comments after the Stormont Executive launched the draft programme for government on Monday, identifying waiting lists as one of their nine priorities.

The plan met with a mixed response, with some grateful the Executive was at least presenting a united front while others criticised a lack of targets or detail after seven months of waiting.

The Executive plan said that efforts to reduce waiting lists include investments of £76m for 2024/25, but that this was “significantly less” than what was needed, meaning the focus will be on cancer and time-critical waiting lists.

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“It will not be possible to reduce our lengthy waiting times within the funding currently available,” the document read, stating that “the journey of reform must continue” through investing in the workforce and digital capability.

It added that “difficult decisions” about reconfiguration were needed, with attempts to address health inequalities by improving health through primary, community and social care.

Dr Mason agreed that reducing waiting lists was vital for those “experiencing intolerable delays,” but that preventive care and wellbeing needed to be at the centre of any future health service transformation.

“Paying privately for care or getting sicker with only your GP for help should not be the only options open for our patients,” she said.

“Supporting patients on waiting lists is adding to the unsustainable workload in general practice and of course making it harder for all our patients to access GP services when they need them most.”

She said this was not surprising that patients struggled to get GP appointments when only 5.4% of the healthcare budget was spent on general practice, with demand increasing.

“Any move to shift care closer to home must come with the guarantee that funding and investment will follow. Waiting lists cannot be tackled in isolation, and a sole focus on them will not provide the much-needed regeneration of our health service.

“A properly supported general practice that can focus on timely access, proactive and preventive care should be at the core of tackling waiting lists and delivering better care right in the heart of our communities.”

On Monday, the BMA NI Council chair Dr Alan Stout, said he agreed with the broad aims of the Executive plan, but that after a decade of discussing health transformation it was time for bold and even unpopular decisions.

“There needs to be a concerted effort to really accelerate the pace of change, be bold, and make sure there is a measurable, positive impact for patients,” he said.

“Truly changing our health service may mean taking unpopular decisions, but we cannot keep doing what we are doing and hope it will lead to better outcomes.”