Dispensing Doctors’ Association Board member Dr Fiona Porter met recently to challenge shadow health minister for Wales Sam Rowlands on the pressures facing rural GP practices in Wales, including dispensing practices.

In April the BMA highlighted the loss of almost 100 GP surgeries in Wales since 2013, and a 24 per cent fall in the number of full-time equivalent GPs that has pushed a third more patient consultations onto remaining GPs.

GPC Wales chair Dr Gareth Oelmann said: “If urgent action isn't taken, general practice could face a situation akin to NHS dentistry with ‘deserts’ of no service provision in many parts of the country making care inequitable.”

To highlight the issues facing Welsh GPs, Welsh GP leader BMA Cymru has set up the #Saveoursurgeries campaign and a Senedd petition was signed by over 21,500 people calling for fair resourcing of general practice.

Figures from the British Medical Association for Scotland also show reductions in the number of active GP practices in at least 12 out of 14 Scottish health boards.

The DDA finds it disappointing that new health secretary Wes Streeting chose a London GP practice for his first visit and equally, disappointing for healthcare service providers is that the only reference to rural issues in the King’s Speech relates to water quality (Water (Special Measures) Bill).

GPs across England will look forward to Streeting’s pledge to increase spending on NHS primary care services and the DDA will be pushing for an urgent conversation with the new primary care minister Stephen Kinnock to realise the DDA’s rural election manifesto goal of more sustainable rural GP practice. The DDA contacted all election candidates during the run-up to the July 4 election and was pleased to receive many pledges of support from subsequently elected candidates.