YP Letters: Waiting a week to see GP? You're the lucky ones

I write in response to the article (The Yorkshire Post, July 24) about figures released by the Royal College of GPs, commenting that “more than a third of patients in some parts of the country are waiting more than a week for appointments to see a doctor.” Well, aren’t they the lucky ones, I ask.

A few weeks ago I contacted my local surgery for an appointment with a GP in any of the three practices they run. I’d had a niggling complaint for a few weeks which wasn’t improving. All three practices were fully booked up for the next three weeks and I was asked to ring up in a couple of days’ time when appointment times should be available.

In the end I rang the local surgery the following morning at 8am and was able to secure an emergency appointment later the same day. My case was clearly not an emergency so I felt very guilty at occupying one of the emergency slots but, having held off consulting a GP because I warranted my complaint was not serious enough to take up a GP’s time and would rectify itself, I was loath to wait a further month for a consultation.

I know from conversations with local neighbours and friends that long delays to see GPs in this area are all too common.