Labour has a plan to tackle shortage of GPs, says Mansfield mayor

Some 6,023 people in Mansfield faced a wait of 28 days or more to see a GP in October alone.

A further 11,300 people had to wait more than two weeks.

Patients in Mansfield are finding it impossible to see a GP when they need to.

Among those thousands waiting more than a month or not getting an appointment at all, there will be conditions going undiagnosed until it is too late.

Twelve years of Conservative failure to train the staff our NHS needs has left it with thousands fewer GPs, and patients are paying the price.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives are protecting the non-dom tax status, allowing people who live in Britain to pay their taxes overseas.

We need doctors and nurses, not non-doms.

Labour will train a new generation of doctors and nurses, paid for by abolishing non-doms.

Patients need doctors’ appointments more than the wealthiest need a tax break.

Patients should be able to see the doctor they want, in the manner they choose, when they need to.

Labour will put patients first and get them seen on time again.

Labour’s plan would:

Double the number of medical school places, training 15,000 new doctors a year;

Train 10,000 additional nurses and midwives every year;

Double the number of district nurses qualifying each year;

Train 5,000 new health visitors;

Labour’s plan will see patients guaranteed a face-to-face appointment with a GP if they want one. While some patients prefer to hold appointments over the phone, many are frustrated at not being able to see their doctor in person;

Labour is also pledging to bring back the family doctor, so patients can see the same GP each appointment if they choose to.