John Milne MP: Wishing the nation the best of health for the New Year

I don’t think there can be anyone left who isn’t already aware of the challenges faced by GPs. Most surgeries are having to cope with far greater patient numbers than they were originally designed for. In Horsham town centre, there is simply not enough physical space in the current buildings.

The average number of GP visits per patient, per year has been rising dramatically; and many of those visits are leading to more complex procedures. Under these circumstances, even if our local population wasn’t expanding – which of course it is - they’d still have to cope with changing patient needs.

I listened with great interest to a discussion on a new ‘total triage’ system which is being trialled at Holbrook surgery, and likely to be rolled out elsewhere in due course. This is a new service designed to avoid the 8am battle on GP phone lines by enabling patients to complete an online form, which is then reviewed, or ‘triaged’, by the GP. In a situation where GP access is not as easy as we’d like, it’s important to make sure that urgent issues get priority treatment.

In this context I welcome the government’s announcements this week aimed at improving response times. For example, GPs will be able, where appropriate, to refer patients directly to treatment centres without requiring a prior consultation with a specialist doctor.

What I do not welcome however, is yet more feet-dragging with social care reform. Instead of real action, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced an independent commission chaired by Baroness Louise Casey. But according to the schedule, this won’t make its final report until 2028. This is effectively a decision to do nothing.

We don’t need another review; we already know what’s needed. I recognise that the government can’t fix everything at once, but social care reform should be top of their list - and I will press for them to reconsider.