GP surgeries and pharmacies in Teignbridge need long-term fairer funding models to survive, according to Newton Abbot MP Martin Wrigley.

Some surgeries in the district say they have been under-funded by up to half of the number of patients registered on their lists.

And, the forthcoming increase in National Insurance employers contribution is causing further concern to local surgeries who expect this to ‘seriously erode’ their finances unless the Government agrees to an exemption.

Mr Wrigley said: ‘Far too many people are struggling to get a GP appointment when they need one, leaving them waiting anxiously for the care they deserve.

‘People across the country are suffering after years of neglect by the last Conservative government.

‘This has terrible consequences for people’s health, and for the NHS.

‘It can lead to important diagnoses being missed or delayed, and can force desperate people to call an ambulance or take themselves into accident and emergency departments.’

The BMA’s GP Committee has been consulting with ministers on government proposals due to be announced this spring.

The Government has announced an extra £899m for GP care, along with new proposals that will include: adding practice nurses to the Additional Roles Reimbursement scheme (ARRS), reducing the number of QOF (Quality Outcomes Framework) targets and incentivising continuity of care.

Mr Wrigley said: ‘There are still a lot of unknowns at this point, which will be concerning for GPs worried about their finances in the coming year.

‘I am of course concerned about the impact of huge National Insurance rises and hope that GPs can secure the additional funding from ‘separate pots’, ring-fenced to support elective recovery.

‘However, these funding pots fall outside the remit of the Health Secretary’s announcement, so we will have to wait to know if additional funding is on the cards.’

GPs in Teignbridge say the NI increases could seriously erode their finances unless the Government make them exempt; that would mean GPs could still be ‘set for another year of defunding’.

One surgery is looking at an additional £45,000 yearly bill.

‘It’s not good enough, and people are suffering as a result. You should be able to see your GP when you need to and at least within seven days.”

The Devon workforce plan identifies the need to increase the number of GP trainees.

Buckland Surgery in Newton Abbot hosts trainees and provides work experience in a deprived area.

Mr Wrigley said: ‘It is vital when experiencing practice work in deprived areas that the trainees have the support of surgeries such as Buckland as this will give them a positive view of such areas and help attract future employees.

He added: ‘Additionally I am campaigning for fairer and more sustainable long-term funding models for pharmacies, and to build on the Pharmacy First approach to give patients more accessible routine services and ease the pressure on GPs.’