MORE than one in 10 of patients in Warrington waited seven days or longer to see a GP the last time they tried, according to an official NHS survey.
A total of 22,865, or 11.28%, faced a wait of a week or more when they phoned for an appointment in the last year.
Labour has pledged to invest £100 million in GP surgeries – saved by scrapping David Cameron’s NHS market rules that waste millions on lawyers fees and contract tendering – to guarantee appointments within 48 hours or on the same day for those who need it. 
Ed Miliband visited Warrington earlier this year to launch Labour’s pledge on GP access and to meet patients in Great Sankey affected by the shock closure of the Barrow Hall Lane surgery.
Nick Bent, Labour Parliamentary Candidate in Warrington South, said: “Sadly, the NHS is heading downhill under this Tory Government and the choice facing NHS users at the General Election is a Labour Government pledged to improve and protect our NHS, or five more years of Tory chaos, cuts and broken promises.”
The annual NHS England survey, released earlier this month, also revealed that local patients struggle to see the family doctor of their choosing: 42% of Warrington patients who have a preferred GP had to see another doctor when they last went to their surgery.
1 in 10 wait more than a week to see GP
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About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
