Almost 9,000 people wait over four weeks to see GP

Dr Lorna Clarson, chief medical officer, said the delays were "understandably concerning"

Almost 9,000 people were waiting for more than four weeks to see a GP in Shropshire, according to recent data.

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said 8,856 patients waited for more than 28 days for an appointment during February, while 12,769 had to wait between 22 and 28 days.

The data also showed from the 249,265 appointments, 114,366 were seen within a day, 43,217 between two and seven days, 34,682 between eight and 14 days, 18,695 between 15 and 21 days and 201 were unknown.

Dr Lorna Clarson, chief medical officer, said: "While any delay in care is understandably concerning, it is also important to look at the bigger picture.

"In February 2025, our 50 GP practices across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin delivered nearly a staggering quarter of a million appointments."

She said this was the equivalent of almost half of the area's population booking appointments in one month.

'Growing demand'

The figures also highlighted the "exceptionally high demand", as well as how hard teams were working to provide quick access to care, Dr Clarson added.

She put the delays down to a number of factors, including patients choosing a specific GP or time slot because their health issues were not urgent, or the appointment was a follow up after a period of treatment.

"Improving access to GP services remains a top priority and we continue to work closely with our practices to meet the growing demand and make sure our patients get the care they need, in the right place, at the right time," she said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.