PRIMARY CARE GP ACCESS

In June 2016, Healthwatch Hounslow carried out a survey on primary care GP access for patients in Hounslow. This patient survey was commissioned by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in Hounslow. A sample of 2,500 local patients were surveyed about primary care GP access across Hounslow’s five localities by Healthwatch staff and volunteers, comprising about 500 patients in each locality.

Local people in general said they encounter difficulties in getting routine appointments.

 Among respondents, the percentage of those who said they had difficulties in making the time to attend their GP’s surgery between 9am to 5pm on weekdays for appointments was slightly higher than those who said they did not find it difficult. 

Most  favoured routine appointments with GPs on Saturdays between 9am – 1pm and a slightly smaller group of respondents said they would prefer them on weekdays (i.e., Monday to Friday) between 6.30pm – 8pm. Those who said they would choose routine GP appointments between 7am – 8am on weekdays formed the smallest group. Similarly, the percentage of those who said they would be willing to book a routine appointment on a Saturday in another local practice if their GP practice was unable to give them an appointment, was higher than those who said they wouldn’t be willing to do so. 

Finally, a large majority said they are not aware that on weekends they can book an urgent appointment with a GP practice by ringing NHS 111. 

The findings show that some steps need to be taken to enable patients to obtain urgent appointments with more speed and flexibility so that they do not feel the need to access A&E services or call 999 when they get anxious or frustrated with the current system of obtaining urgent appointments with their GPs.