Revealed: The "frustrating" long wait to see a GP in Coventry

[dutchman]

Doctors say it is important to treat patients early to "avoid conditions getting worse"

More than 10,000 patients in Coventry and Rugby are waiting at least three weeks to see a GP, new figures reveal.

Doctors say it is important to treat patients early to "avoid conditions getting worse".

NHS Digital data shows that 13,110 people in the Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group had to wait until at least 21 days to see a doctor after booking an appointment in October 2018.

That is six per cent of all patients.

Of them, 5,800 waited more than a month.

Waiting times were in line with November 2017, the earliest period for which data is available.

CoventryLive has contacted the Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group - which represents all 67 GP practices in the area - for a comment.

The Patients Association said the impact of the waits "should not be understimated".

Rachel Power, the charity's chief executive, said: "It can be incredibly stressful to face a long wait before getting to see a doctor, quite apart from prolonging the length of time someone has to live with the medical issue that is troubling them.

"All of this is a symptom of an NHS running at boiling point all year round."

[dutchman]

Not had any such problem myself. In fact was last seen at 9.00am the next day following a patient cancellation.

Likewise at the dentist, 4.00pm the following afternoon. The subsequent phone conversation between the patient who cancelled and the receptionist was quite amusing to listen to in the waiting room!