Harrogate Lib Dem's claims of GP services 'funding cuts' spark new row with town's MP

After Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough, claimed families and pensioners in the constituency were struggling to see their GP, the town's MP Andrew Jones defended the Government's performance.

The town’s Conservative MP since 2010 admitted there were pressures on GP services but argued his Lib Dem rival’s portrait of NHS neglect was far from an accurate or balanced picture.

The latest political spat between the two political rivals, in a year which is expected to see Prime Minister Rishi Sunak go to the polls in a General Election, was triggered by new analysis by the national Lib Dems of GPs funding over the past four years.

Based on data taken from The House of Commons Library, the Lib Dems claim the Conservatives have cut GP funding by 6.9% per patient in real terms nationally since 2019.

The same analysis shows that funding per patient across the local NHS Integrated Care Board ICB area, including Harrogate and Knaresborough, fell by 7.6% in the same period.

Lib Dem spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Tom Gordon said: “Families and pensioners in Harrogate & Knaresborough are struggling to see their GP despite being in need of medical advice.

"It is leaving people waiting in pain or simply anxious about not getting the care they need.

“It is not right that our community is suffering the consequences of this Conservative government’s neglect of local health services.

“Rishi Sunak and his failing government is totally out of touch with people’s concerns."

Mr Gordon is now calling for patients to be given a legal right to see their GP within seven days, or 24 hours if in urgent need.

In response to Lib Dem claims, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones said the Tories’ record on GPs was better than was being claimed.

“It is true that there are pressures on GP services but support is being given to practices to help ease that pressure,” said Mr Jones.

"The pressure is because the demand for appointments is high with GPs seeing ten per cent more patients than before the Covid pandemic.

“It is also worth noting, according to the Kings Fund, that the NHS budget has increased in real terms from £131bn in 2010 to over £180bn today.

"That’s an increase of 40 per cent after inflation has been taken into account.

"To speak of NHS funding being slashed and neglect is, I suppose, good political knockabout but isn’t the accurate and balanced picture which anyone aspiring to be a serious politician should be giving.”

Mr Jones points to a list of improvements and investments he says the Tories are making to ease the pressures on GP services.

The list includes the following:

1 An increase in the general practice workforce by 27 per cent since 2019.

The number of fully-qualified doctors and training doctors has increased in North Yorkshire since 2016, according to House of Commons Library figures.

2 A £240m investment across England in new digital phonelines for all all GP practices.

3 Pharmacists given a greater role in offering prescription-only medicines.

4 Targets have been cut in GPs’ contracts.

5 A NHS workforce plan to expand GP training.