GP Patient Survey 2024 results echo concerns about access to GPs
This year's national results can't be compared with last year due to a change in research methodology, however the concerns raised by patients to Healthwatch are reflected in the results.
Three quarters, 74%, of patients reported a good overall experience of their GP practice. Older people and people from African ethnic groups were most likely to report positive experience, while carers, people living in the most deprived areas, Disabled people, and those from Bangladeshi and Gypsy or Irish Traveller backgrounds reported less positive experiences.
Almost all respondents felt their needs were met at their last appointment and felt involved in decisions about their care. 86.7% felt listened to at their last appointment.
Despite this, the survey found some worrying trends:
- 38.2% of respondents found booking over the phone difficult
- 37.1% found booking through their GP website difficult
- 39.4% found booking through the NHS App difficult
- 41.2% were not offered a choice of time, day or location for their most recent appointment
- 33.2% waited over a week from first contacting their practice until their appointment.
For more information about the survey, visit the GP Patient Survey website
GP access in the 2024 survey
The latest GP Patient Survey, which heard from 699,790 patients about their experience of GP practices, found good overall satisfaction with GP services. But one of the critical issues highlighted by the survey is the number of people saying they have had problems accessing their GP. Only 50% of patients nationally found it easy to contact their GP practice on the phone.
Key findings in North Central London Integrated Care System (NCL ICS) area
NCL ICS covers NHS services in Haringey, Camden, Enfield, Barnet and Islington.
The results in this area are broadly similar to the national picture.
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72% of patients rated their experience of their GP Practice as good
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52% found it "easy" to get through to their GP Practice on the phone
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38% found it difficult to contact their GP practice using their website and 41% found it difficult to contact their GP using the NHS App
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37% of NCL patients said they waited too long for a GP appointment compared to 34% of patients nationally
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When the GP practice was closed, access to NHS care took too long for 22% of the ICS's patients
You can find out more about how your practice performed by using the button below.
North Central London Integrated Care System 2024 Survey Results
This presentation shows selected results from the 2024 GP Patient Survey broken down by Primary Care Network.
