Our response to comments from the Chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs

In an interview with the Press Association, Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said extended waiting times can pose a "serious risk" to patients.

Responding to the comments from the Chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, Jane Mordue, Chair of Healthwatch England, said:

“The current strain on the NHS, in particular GPs, has not gone unnoticed by the public, but such words from one of the country’s most senior doctors will undoubtedly be cause for concern for many.

“The important thing is that the thousands of people local Healthwatch speak to about their experiences tell us they are keen to do their bit to help ease the pressure by taking more responsibility for monitoring and managing their own health.

“To do this we need to encourage broader use of a range of different professionals such as physios and pharmacists, people need access to better advice online and we need a more flexible approach to appointments that meets the needs of patients and doctors.   

“This doesn’t take away from the fact we need to train more doctors, but this will take time. What we need right now is for the NHS and patients to work together to come up with practical and localised solutions to help people get the care they need as quickly as possible.”