A public meeting about the crisis facing primary care services is taking place this week.

The meeting has been organised by Bolton & District Pensioners Association to take place tomorrow (Wednesday, October 12).

Questions will focus on GP services, including people's experience over the years and the ease of seeing the family doctor.

Secretary of the association Bernadette Gallagher believes the problem lies with lack of funding and shortage of GPs.

She said “ GP’s on the front line are cutting their hours or leaving the profession due to increased demand for an underfunded service, patient frustration at not being able to see a GP is leading to verbal and even physical abuse”

However Mrs Gallagher is concerned the voices of patients are not being heard.

She said:“ While the voices of GP’s are well articulated who is speaking up for patients who can’t get through on the phone, can’t get a face to face appointment and whose conditions are deteriorating as a result”.

The meeting will be addressed by BBC Panorama Reporter Jacquie Wakefield who worked undercover at Britain’s biggest GP chain Operose Health where GPs were replaced by less qualified staff.

Also attending the meeting is Emeritus Professor at the University of Manchester Aneez Esmail, who worked as a GP in inner city Manchester in a practice that pioneered improved access for its patients.

Bolton NHS Trust, Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board and Bolton Healthwatch have all failed to respond to requests to provide a speaker for the meeting.

The meeting is open to all members of the public in Bolton and not just pensioners.

Last month the government s promised a “laser-like” focus on NHS problems as she set out plans for patients to see a GP within two weeks and committed to keeping the four hour A&E target - but the Nuffield Trust health think tank, said the country was short of GPs, with the number of GPs per person in England falling year after year.

It will be chaired by The Bolton News Chief reporter Joe Harrigan.

It will takes place in the Library Lecture Theatre in Bolton Central Library on Le Mans Crescent at 6.30pm.