In the NHS area covering Barnet, 12% of 1,089 patients who attempted to contact the GP said they had a poor experience reports Adam Care, Data Reporter

A stethoscope lying on top of some forms on top of a manilla folder — Across England, the average dissatisfaction rate was 11% – (Credit – Radar)

One in eight north central London patients have a negative experience of their GP surgery, new survey data shows.

The Royal College of GPs said there are not enough GPs to meet patient demand and called for “substantial investment” to bolster the workforce.

The NHS Health Insights Survey asked patients about their experience with GP services over the previous 28 days.

In the NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board area, 12% of 1,089 patients who attempted to contact the GP said they had a poor experience.

Meanwhile, 73% said their experience was good.

Across England, the average dissatisfaction rate was 11%.

Survey participants were also asked whether the service provided by their practice has changed over the last 12 months.

In north central London, 17% said it had improved, and 10% said it was now worse.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said they were the “bedrock” of the NHS, but warned “we simply don’t have enough GPs to keep up” with patients’ growing need for complex care.

She added: “We can’t carry on doing more with less which is why without substantial investment to recruit and retain more GPs some patients will continue to struggle to get access.”

The data also shows how many patients were able to make contact on the same day they first tried.

Of those who had attempted, 67% got through to someone on the same day, while 7% were unable to make contact at all.

Nationally, 78% could make contact the same day, and 4% failed to do so at all.

Prof Hawthorne said: “Clearly not all patients are reporting a good experience accessing our services – and this needs to be addressed.

“GPs want to be able to offer ease of access to all patients, and we share our patients’ frustrations when they struggle to access our care and services.

“This is despite delivering more consultations than ever before – more than a million a day – with only a handful more full-time fully qualified GPs than five years ago.”

Rachel Power, CEO of the Patients Association, said the figures are “promising”, but only tell a partial story.

“We still lack robust data on how many patients struggled to secure an appointment at all and it’s unclear whether those who are able to are having their needs appropriately met,” she said.

“A well-resourced, fit-for-purpose primary care service is essential for the Government’s shift from hospital to community care, especially for those experiencing health inequalities and living in underserved areas across the UK.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Through our Plan for Change we will fix the front door of the NHS and shift the focus of healthcare from hospital to community.

“We are hiring an extra 1,000 GPs, so patients can get the care they need, and have proposed the biggest boost to GP funding in years – an extra £889 million.”

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