Experiences of accessing a GP in Brent

Healthwatch Brent wanted to understand people’s experience of booking a GP appointment.  They undertook a survey, ran social media polls and undertook a number of focus groups from December 2021 to March 2022.

Around two thirds were dissatisfied and found it difficult to book an appointment.  Less than half were able to arrange face to face appointments. People were frustrated with the length of time it takes to book an appointment and that you can only book on the day you ring. Almost all comments mentioned the difficulty getting an appointment, and/or getting through on the phone, as telephone lines are always busy.

There were variations in satisfaction across GP practices. Some are praised on their quality of care and their approach, while others need additional support to improve their telephone-based systems from NHS England.

Overall, patients liked the eConsult service. They liked being able to use technology, such as uploading photos. Respondents complimented the care from the doctors and nurses when they had either a phone or a face-to-face appointment after filling in the eConsult form.

Many people mentioned the rudeness of some reception staff when answering the phone at certain GP practices. Some respondents said that communication is poor. However, some respondents commented on how positive it was that other languages such as Hindi were spoken by receptionists.

The report contains 7 recommendations.