GP Access in North West London: Health Inequalities Lecture
In February, the North West London Integrated Care System (ICS) introduced its ambitious plan to launch ‘same day hubs’ which aim to address the challenge of accessing same day primary care appointments. However, the proposal was met with concerns raised by GPs and residents which you can read more about in this article.
Moreover, many patients in North West London have contacted us to share their views concerning the new proposal. Following these developments, we have launched a project to collect feedback from residents about accessing their GPs, including how they book their appointments and the way that they are delivered.
As part of this project, we partnered with the Advocacy Project to host a discussion on GP access. Our guest speaker Dr John Lister and Chair Cllr Ketan Sheth led the conversation and discussed their concerns about the recent proposals. The event was also attended by patients and healthcare professionals who emphasised the importance of maintaining patient safety.
Key points that were highlighted during the talk include:
- Patients expect an in-depth consultation regarding new services and initiatives.
- Patients want to see clear evidence that the approach being taken is effective, before any changes are implemented.
Our Healthwatch teams will be amplifying these messages to the ICB, alongside any other themes we hear during our engagement.
We want to hear from you!
It’s not too late to share your views about your experiences and preferences when using GP services. We will share the views with the ICS and wider system partners to ensure that your feedback shapes the future of primary care services in North West London.
Fill in the survey here, it only takes a few minutes.
