GP Access in the London Borough of Bromley

Healthwatch Bromley wanted to gain an understanding of how patients and service users experience GP services within the borough. For most people visiting their doctor is their most frequently used element of the health care system and acts as a gateway to other health and social care services. It is therefore essential that local practices offer an efficient and accessible service for all.  They reached 469 people via a survey and focus groups.

Evidence presented in this report confirms that residents of the London Borough of Bromley have some difficulty in accessing GP Services in an efficient and satisfactory manner. Yet some respondents expressed satisfaction and support for their GP Practices, understanding that they are operating in increasingly challenging environments.

60% of respondents were either “Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied” with their GP practice overall and many expressed an appreciation of the care and professional attitude of the individual doctors once they were seen.

The evidence in this report suggests that service users are sometimes left frustrated and disappointed due to a lack of appointments and misunderstanding of appointment availability and frequency. Healthwatch Bromley would recommend a clearer definition between Opening Hours and Surgery Hours, so patients are aware of exactly when it is possible to book an appointment. This is especially important for people trying to secure appointments prior to either school or work. Furthermore, particular importance needs to be placed on ensuring the correct number of appointments are made available to the public during the GP opening hours.

Unnecessary pressure on Minor Injury Clinics and inappropriate use of ‘emergency appointments’ at local practices is a cause for concern and every effort needs to made to ensure these facilities are used appropriately and not as a second option for people unable to secure a routine GP appointment.

If GPs are acting as gatekeepers to a wider variety of health and social care services, there is a concern that lack of GP availability will have a negative effect on the health and well being of the residents of Bromley. If ongoing, this may also cause unnecessary strain on the NHS and local council services in the future.

A variety of booking methods are needed to cater for all patients. For example SMS and online booking would be helpful for hard of hearing groups or Deaf people. With regards to patients with learning disabilities it would be beneficial if there was some form of consistency with patient’s Personal Health Profiles and logging of patient medical records.

Across the borough additional support needs were rarely catered for, with patients not having clear access to additional services such as translators or signers. Healthwatch Bromley thinks it would be beneficial for all, if reception teams or doctors could enquire as to whether any additional support is needed at the point of booking or for patients to be actively made aware of the facilities and support available to them.