Lib Dems pledge access to same named GP for over 70s and the chronically sick

Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, unveiled a pledge that people over 70 and those with long term health conditions would access to the same named GP for every appointment.

In an article in the Guardian based on his interview with Laura Kuenssberg, Ed Davey revealed that nearly half of Britons rarely or never see their family doctor. He was quoted as saying "

the policy would require 8,000 more GPs and take at least four years to implement at the cost of an extra £1bn a year, with the money coming from taxing big banks.

Elderly people and those with long-term conditions, including mental health conditions, have been found to benefit the most from access to the same GP, the Lib Dems said, pointing to a study that found people who have kept the same GP for more than 15 years have a 25% lower chance of dying than those with a new GP in the first year.

Polling commissioned by the party found almost half (47%) of UK adults who have seen a GP more than once in the last couple of years say they rarely or never see the same doctor for each appointment, with almost one in five (18%) saying they never do. This latter number rises to 27% among people aged over 65."