Welsh Lib Dems urges for more support for rural GP’s

This week in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called for more support for rural general practitioners.

The leader of the Welsh Lib Dems, Jane Dodds MS, has also called for a rural GP payment to ensure that primary care can meet local health needs.

Commenting, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats MS Jane Dodds said:

“Our rural communities have been hit hard over the past few years, with cuts to vital services severely impacting access to local health care and forcing many to travel long distances.

In recent conversations with general practitioners across Powys, a common theme that has arisen is that current setup and funding models do not account for the extra services that rural surgeries must offer due to a lack of nearby alternatives.

More must be done to tailor financial and structural support so rural GPs can keep operating sustainably.

With nearly 100 surgeries in Wales closing over the past decade, we cannot risk further isolating our rural populations.

We need an urgent review into the funding arrangements for rural GPs to ensure that they can continue to meet the needs of local people.”