Patient experiences of GP services
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Healthwatch East Sussex reviewed feedback from residents about accessing GP services and found significant variation in patient experiences despite national initiatives designed to improve primary care access. While some patients reported receiving prompt appointments and good-quality care, many described difficulties navigating appointment systems and confusion about their rights under the GP Patient Charter.
The most common concerns related to access. Patients reported being required to use online-only systems, difficulties contacting practices by phone or in person, limited availability of appointment request forms, and being told to try again another day when appointments were unavailable. Healthwatch also heard concerns that some reception staff acted as "gatekeepers", preventing patients from using their preferred method of contact or obtaining appointments when advised to do so by NHS 111 or other healthcare professionals.
Accessibility was another significant theme. Some patients with hearing impairments, disabilities, long-term conditions or communication needs reported that practices were not always making reasonable adjustments required under the Accessible Information Standard. Feedback also highlighted problems with GP websites and digital systems, including confusing information, unavailable online forms and technology that patients found difficult or impossible to use.
Healthwatch concluded that greater consistency is needed across GP practices to ensure equitable access for all patients. Recommendations included improving compliance with the Accessible Information Standard, providing clear information about appointment booking options, ensuring parity between online, telephone and face-to-face access routes, improving digital systems and websites, and offering more proactive support for people with long-term conditions. Despite the concerns raised, the report also included examples of patients receiving same-day appointments, efficient online responses and positive care from clinicians.