Economic deprivation and access to healthcare in South Gloucestershire

Healthwatch South Gloucestershire examines how economic deprivation affects access to healthcare in South Gloucestershire, particularly in rural and overlooked “pockets” of deprivation. It focuses on systemic barriers such as poor transport and limited service accessibility. This report is based on the experience of 94 people.

Key Findings

• South Gloucestershire is 80% rural, making access to healthcare highly dependent on transport.
• Public transport is often Infrequent, Indirect (multi‑stage journeys) and expensive or unreliable
• Patients may need hours or even a full day to attend routine appointments.
• This particularly affects older people, disabled and housebound individuals and people without cars
• People with mobility issues face both physical difficulty travelling and financial strain (e.g. taxis when buses are unavailable)
• 60% of respondents did not find access to appointments easy. Common problems included long waiting times, difficulty reaching GP surgeries by phone, limited appointment availability and understaffing in some practices.
• 89.4% of respondents had not noticed improvements in access. This suggests a gap between policy intentions and lived experience.
• Tools like the NHS App and eConsult improve access for some. However older people and those without internet access are often excluded.