What people think about waiting times

Healthwatch Bolton undertook research on people’s experiences and expectations of waiting times for GP appointments and onward referrals. They spoke to 59 people at five venues across Farnworth in December 2016, including health centres, community organisations and a food bank. 

The research found mixed experiences of GP access. Around 58% of respondents said they could obtain an appointment within five days, with nearly a third reporting access to same-day appointments, particularly for urgent issues. However, around a third reported waits of more than a week and described difficulties such as having to phone repeatedly at 8am, being unable to pre-book appointments and inflexible booking systems. Most people felt that a routine GP appointment should be available within five days.

Concerns were also raised about waiting times for onward referrals. Nine respondents discussed referrals to services such as physiotherapy, podiatry, ENT and blood testing, and most were dissatisfied with the delays they experienced. Reported waits ranged from one to three months for some services to over six months for others, with long waits for physiotherapy, podiatry and ear syringing highlighted in particular. 

Healthwatch Bolton recommended greater standardisation of appointment systems across GP practices, including clearer options for booking appointments, a consistent balance between urgent and routine appointments and a clearer understanding of what constitutes an acceptable waiting time. The report also suggested that proposed neighbourhood hubs could help reduce waiting times for allied health services and improve access to preventative and early intervention support.