"I can’t get a face-to-face GP appointment I have waited 3 weeks for a telephone call."
A local patient shared their experience of consistently raised blood pressure readings over several days, but facing a three-week wait for a GP appointment.
During this time, they were also managing medication for another ongoing condition. They described feeling anxious and unsupported, worried about managing untreated hypertension while waiting for care.
Why this is a problem
Delays in access to GP appointments can be serious. High blood pressure, if left unmanaged, increases the risk of:
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
- Kidney disease
- Heart failure
Even short waits can create stress and uncertainty, and patients may not know how to manage their condition safely at home.
In rural areas like Westmorland & Furness, limited access to GP appointments can make this problem worse.
High blood pressure is a common but often “silent” condition but awareness is steadily growing:
- NHS online advice on high blood pressure had over 2 million visits in 2025, a 36% increase from the previous year
- The North West has the highest number of people with GP-recorded hypertension in England (18.17%)
- Up to 520,000 people in the region may have high blood pressure without knowing it
This data highlights that while more people are trying to monitor and manage their blood pressure, timely support from local health services is essential to prevent serious complications.
