GP access report

Healthwatch Gloucestershire wanted to understand access to GPs in 2023, in particular how the NHS Primary Care recovery plan has impacted access.  They undertook focus groups, a survey, interviews and engagement events, speaking to 824 people in total between September and November 2023.

A lack of effective communication between practice and the patients was highlighted throughout the project, and this appears to have led to confusion and frustration.

 People do not understand why they are unable to book routine or repeat appointments in advance or have to wait a long time for one. Many people are not aware of, or are confused about, the different options available to them when booking an appointment (by phone, email, NHS App, in person etc.) There have been changes to the process made since the Covid-19 pandemic and it also varies greatly between practices.

Many people are confused about the triage system which is used by practices to assess and prioritise patients. They are not sure who they are talking to and why they are talking to them, and this can lead to negative sentiment about the process and the staff.

Many people do not understand why they are often offered an appointment with someone other than a GP. They are not always aware of the wider healthcare team who work there and what services the practice provides. People are unaware of when they need to see a professional and when they can self refer to a service. When receiving information about a face-to-face appointment, it is not always made clear to patients which surgery they are meant to attend.

People with accessibility issues, such as English not being their first language, struggle to engage with practices. Sourcing interpreters is an issue and often puts individuals off trying to see the GP.

People aged between 25-49 appear to be disproportionately affected by practices using telephone booking systems; childcare and work commitments mean they struggle to call when the practice is open.

There were also accessibility issues for people with learning disabilities, autism, dementia, Parkinson’s, poor mental health, and older people who lacked experience with technology.

People find it frustrating to be given such a wide ranging time slot for when the GP will call them. Some people were able to get urgent appointments with the GP, however, where this was not possible it led to them being directed to urgent and emergency services. Most people were happy with the service provided once they were able to see the GP or healthcare professional.

There is concern that needing a separate appointment for each individual issue is inefficient and fails to consider that conditions can be linked, which delays diagnosis and treatment.

Many of those who are confident and able to use technology want to maximise their use of digital options for booking appointments, checking results, ordering prescriptions, and attending appointments, for example, via video consultation. However, the availability, complexity and effectiveness of these services appears to vary between practices, which causes frustration.

There is a perceived requirement for more people to use various Apps to access their own records, but these are only offered in English and are not always user-friendly.

The report contains 14 recommendations about improving communication,  technological skills, appointments and improving accessibility.