100,000 signatures reached
To: UK Political Party Leaders
Stop GP practices shutting their doors
We need our political leaders to come up with a serious plan to put a stop to hundreds of GP practices closing across the country. Hundreds are at risk of shutting their doors. Our leaders need to step up and show they’ll put an end to this.
Why is this important?
My name is Dr Adam Janjua, and I’m an NHS GP in Lancashire. In my job, there’s nothing more important to me than making sure that everyone is able to access good care in their community. But I’m very worried because due to funding cuts, there are hundreds of practices across the country that risk closure. In 2023 alone, nearly 60 GP practices closed their doors. In my own area, over a hundred practices have seen reduced income and rising costs, while 10 are at risk of closure.
I'm working with 38 Degrees to demand our political leaders come up with a serious plan to fix the impending crisis of GP practices closing. The benefits are obvious. Investing in local doctors creates a ripple effect throughout the healthcare system. If we strengthen our GPs it helps make us healthier, reduces the burden on hospitals, and creates a healthier society. We need to change how GP surgeries are funded so they can afford to stay open without charging patients. In the past few years, money meant for individual surgeries has been split between hundreds of practices. This has made it harder for GPs like myself to keep up with costs.
We need leaders who care about the health system to step up and make sure the NHS doesn't fall apart. Our politicians should listen to doctors and patients, and stop trying to divide us by trying to shift the blame for the problems in the NHS on to staff like me who care. This is a serious problem, and we need a solution NOW!
