Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrat MPs Ian Sollom and Charlotte Cane have called for a legal right to see a GP within seven days after new figures revealed a dramatic surge in waiting times across the county.
New analysis by the Liberal Democrats shows that in October alone, more than 100,000 patients in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board area waited over four weeks for a GP appointment — a 247% increase since July 2024, when Labour took office.
The figures also reveal a 116% rise in patients waiting more than two weeks to see a doctor over the same period.
“A Disgrace”: MPs Warn Patients Left in Pain and Anxiety
Ian Sollom, MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, and Charlotte Cane, MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire, warned that spiralling delays are forcing residents to “suffer in silence” while piling further pressure on already overstretched A&E departments.
They say patients are being left waiting in pain or uncertainty, with symptoms going unchecked and conditions worsening.
Lib Dems Push GP ‘Rescue Package’
The Liberal Democrats are now campaigning for a GP rescue package, including:
- A new legal right to see a GP within seven days, or 24 hours for urgent cases
- Recruitment and retention of 8,000 additional GPs
- A dedicated fund to reopen or expand surgeries in areas that have lost doctors or seen major housing growth
- 24/7 GP appointment booking via NHS 111
“People Deserve Better”
In a joint statement, the MPs said: “It is a disgrace that over 100,000 people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough were forced to wait over a month for a GP appointment.
“With every delay, someone is forced to suffer in silence, waiting in pain or anxiety, whilst vital symptoms are left unchecked. All this does is put even more pressure on our already stretched A&E services.
“That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for a legal right for every patient to see their GP within seven days, backed by our plan to recruit 8,000 more doctors. People in Cambridgeshire deserve to get the care they need, without needless stress and delay.”
Breakdown of GP waiting times can be found here.
Original source of data can be found here.
