Gwyn John, a 78-year-old widower, ended his 77-year relationship with his GP surgery after being 32nd in the call queue for an appointment. He booked a private appointment and enrolled at a new
NHS GP surgery. GP practices in Wales are facing a crisis, with doctors warning that the talks over a new financial deal have broken down. A recent survey by the British Medical Association (BMA) found that the number of full-time GPs has decreased in Wales over the past decade, while patient numbers have increased.
The survey also revealed that 80% of GPs fear their high workload prevents them from providing quality care to patients. Many older people have reported negative experiences accessing GP services, with 72% of respondents to a survey by Age Cymru saying they had such experiences.