Annual GP patient survey - our response
The GP (general practice) patient survey covers services and asks about your last contact, your last appointment and overall experience. The questionnaire also included questions about when your GP pracpracticetice is closed, your health and pharmacy and NHS dentistry services.
The results of the survey are published on behalf of NHS England on the GP Patient Survey website.
View the latest GP patient survey results
Key highlights locally
Three quarters of patients across North Yorkshire (including Humber and West Yorkshire) reported a good overal experience of GP practices.
Almost all people who completed the survey felt their needs were met at their last appointment (90%) and felt involved in decisions about their care. Almost 9/10 in people (88% across the Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 86% of people in Craven and West Yorkshire) felt listened to at their last appointment.
Despite this, the survey found some worrying trends:
- 31% of people across Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 33% of people in Craven and West Yorkshire didn't have a good experience when contacting their GP practice.
- 38% of people across Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 41% of people in Craven and West Yorkshire didn't have a good experience when contacting their GP practice found booking over the phone difficult.
- 48% of people across Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 54% of people in Craven and West Yorkshire didn't find booking through their GP website easy.
- 37% of people across Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 40% of people in Craven and West Yorkshire found booking through the NHS difficult.
- 53% were not offered a choice of time or day for their most recent appointment.
- 15% of people across Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 14% of people in Craven and West Yorkshire were not offered a choice of location.
- 22% of people across Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 19% of people in Craven and West Yorkshire waited over a week from first contacting their practice until their appointment.
Our response
Commenting on the annual GP patient survey, Ashley Green, Chief Executive Officer at Healthwatch North Yorkshire said:
“While access to NHS GP appointments is the most common issue people contact us about, the challenges facing GP teams are also well reported. The results released by NHS England are a stark reminder of the support and resources staff will need to improve access for people locally and nationally.
"The findings showing poor experiences for one in five people nationally when booking appointments are mirrored in feedback to local Healthwatch.
"This is also the case with data showing four in ten people not given choices over where their appointments take place and at what time. And though it is positive that 90% of people felt their needs were met, more than one in three felt they waited too long for an appointment.
“We are calling for people to be given real choices when booking appointments and for GP numbers to be made free to call. We would like to see more help given to get people to and from appointments, so that cost is never a barrier and access can be as easy as possible for everyone."
“Hiring more administrative staff and care navigators is also vital. This will help people to book appointments, manage their referrals and prescriptions, and enable GP teams to keep online services open 24/7.”
Other findings: pharmacy and dental care
Pharmacy findings:
- 51% of patients in Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 49% of patients across West Yorkshire and Craven reported a good overall experience of their local pharmacy.
Dentistry findings:
- 67% of patients in Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 70% of patients across West Yorkshire and Craven reported a good overall experience of their NHS dental team.
- 22% of patients in Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 19% of patients across West Yorkshire and Craven described their experience as poor.
- 29% of patients in Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 25% of patients across West Yorkshire and Craven tried but could not get an NHS dental appointment in the last two years.
- 29% of patients in Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 23% of patients across West Yorkshire and Craven who haven’t tried to get an NHS dental appointment prefered to go private
- A quarter of patients who haven’t tried to get an NHS dental appointment didn’t think they could get one.
What happens next?
Staff at NHS England will use the results to understand what’s working and what needs to improve.
The survey was carried out securely and information published did not identify individuals, nor will it affect their care.
The answers will help the NHS to improve local health services for people like you and your family.
