The Minister for Health and Care, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, has today visited the Primary Care Centre to thank the staff for their continuous hard work following a notable improvement in the availability of GP appointments since the initial reforms were announced in February. 

A statement from the Government follows below:

Since the launch of a dedicated Sick Note Line and the implementation of a new pre-appointment  telephone call reminder system, GP appointments are now available later into the day on most days. 

These changes are part of a broader programme of reform being driven by the PCC Taskforce,  established and chaired by Minister Arias-Vasquez, which aims to address long-standing  frustrations around access to GP appointments and to ensure the system works better for those  who need it most. 

Whilst the initial signs are encouraging, work continues behind the scenes to make further  improvements. The PCC Taskforce is now focusing on reducing telephone wait times when calling  to book an appointment. This is a priority area that has been raised by many members of the public  and indeed also by the call centre operators. 

The Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: “I am really pleased to see  that the changes we recently introduced are already making a difference. The fact that  appointments are now routinely available later in the day is a step in the right direction and one  which speaks to the hard work of the entire team at the PCC. 

“I would like to thank all staff at the Primary Care Centre, in particular, our call centre operators.  They are the first voice our patients hear and they carry a great deal of the pressure in ensuring  people can access their much-needed GP appointments. 

“I fully accept that not everything is perfect. There is still more to do and I remain absolutely  committed to fixing the areas that are not yet working as they should. We are listening, we are  acting and we will continue to improve the way the PCC serves our community.”