The Great Big MK GP Survey

Healthwatch Milton Keynes conducted a research project to help them understand the overall patient experience of receiving care from GPs, as this is the topic of a lot of feedback they receive. They conducted a survey throughout February and March 2023 and heard from 433 people.

There are various ways that respondents said they can make an emergency appointment with their GP, but about 20% of respondents said that patients don’t always get an appointment no matter what method is used. Additionally, 55% of respondents said that their GP practice does not remember and meet their accessibility needs. Regarding digital services such as online messaging and prescription requests, 65% of respondents said their found these services helpful.

The report concluded with recommendations to improve the care provided by GPs. This included needing improvements to triage and internal referrals and how these are communicated to patients, improving access and ease of booking appointments, and improving accessibility through translation services and equipment.