SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin has expressed concern that GPs in and around Derry have the highest number of patients, as do their practices.
GPs in the Western Trust area have an average of 1,490 patients each, compared to an average of 1,423 per GP across Northern Ireland, and 1,305 in Belfast.
That is an additional 185 patients per GP in the Western Trust region compared to Belfast.
Not only do Western Trust GPs have the highest number of patients each, but so do their practices. On average, each Western Trust GP practice serves 6,924 patients.
This contrasts with an average of 6,252 patients across NI, and 5,695 patients on average in each Belfast GP practice.
That is over 1,200 patients more at each Western Trust GP practice than at a Belfast practice.
Ms McLaughlin said: “This is a very worrying situation. It is no wonder that I have so many constituents who complain at the difficulty of contacting their GP or getting an appointment – even before the Covid pandemic.
“The Western Trust area, including Derry, has far too few GPs.
“This is why the SDLP campaigned for years for the Magee Medical School, to create a flow of doctors graduating locally.
“We know, statistically, that students who graduate in an area are very much more likely to locate in that area after they have graduated.
“This is especially true for an area such as Derry which has an exceptionally high quality of life and low cost of living.
“I welcome the first intake of students in the Medical School this year and I urge them to continue living in the city after they graduate so that we can increase the number of doctors in our area and reduce the ratio of patients to GPs.”
The statistics were revealed by the Health Minister Robin Swann in a written answer to a question from Ms McLaughlin.
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