GP patient waiting times triples in five years

There has been a massive increase in GP patient waiting times with an average of 37.8 hours for Leinster according to National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP).

The average waiting time for a patient to see their GP has more than tripled in just five years.

The NAGP, Ireland’s largest representative body for GPs, carried out a survey that revealed the current waiting time for a patient seeking a routine appointment with their GP has soared from an average of just under 10 hours in 2010 to over 34 hours (1 day, 10 hours and 25 minutes).

However, this is just the tip of the ice berg, the Association fears, as waiting times for urgent patients have also increased.

The current waiting time for a patient seeking an urgent appointment with their GP has grown from an average of just over 2 hours (2 hours and 8 minutes) to 5 hours and 12 minutes.

Campaign

Speaking at the launch of the NAPG’s 'Patient Wait’ campaign, Dr Yvonne Williams Chair of Communications said the IMNO’s Trolley Count is one of the few quality and efficiency barometers of the Irish health service that is easily understood by the general public.

“These figures show how much pressure general practice is under at the moment and act as a warning sign for the safety of patients,” said Dr Yvonne Williams.

“Long waiting times at emergency departments are a well-established phenomenon of the Irish health system but these figures confirm that the issue has spread to general practices.

“The reduction in, and illogical allocation of, resources within the sector are resulting in a multitude of crises that is now firmly rooted in general practice.”

The overall waiting time in Connaught is now 31.8 hours; 28.5 hours in Munster; 30.2 hours in Ulster; and 37.8 hours in Leinster.

The survey was carried out among GPs over a 3-day period between October 16 and 18.