Our response to NHS England’s GP Patient Survey
The high satisfaction rates reported by the GP Patient Survey mirror much of what we hear from the public, but when local Healthwatch look deeper into people’s experiences they tell us there is room for improvement.
NHS England has released the latest official statistics from the GP Patient Survey. The survey provides information on patients’ overall experience of primary care and accessing these services.
The majority of patients (84.9%) rate their overall experience of their GP surgery as good, with more than two in five (42.7%) rating their experience as ‘very good’. However, in comparison to the previous year's results, patient satisfaction continues to decline.
Responding to the GP Patient Survey, our Acting National Director, Susan Robinson, said:
“The high satisfaction rates reported by the GP Patient Survey mirror much of what we hear from the public, but when local Healthwatch look deeper into people’s experiences they tell us there is room for improvement.
“Many of those we speak to in detail about their experiences still report difficulty being able to get a GP appointment, with people who are deaf and those with physical disabilities reporting particular problems. Yet the vast majority also recognise family doctors are under immense pressure.
“Our research has shown a huge appetite amongst the public to work with GPs and other health professionals to revolutionise the way access to primary care works, with patients looking for more online services, self-referrals for services such as physiotherapy and to be able to make better use of community pharmacists.
“Now is the time for the health service to work with patients as partners to redesign services and ensure every one of us is able to access the right care when we need it.”
