Access to general practice events: what did residents say?
As part of its plans to improve GP access and primary care services in North West London, the NHS held public engagements with local residents to listen to their views and experiences. The GP access survey invited patients to rate services based on key factors such as appointment availability, satisfaction with care, continuity of care, digital access, and communication with healthcare providers.
Additional insights were gathered through focus groups and public engagement events to allow people to share their personal experiences, challenges in accessing care, and perspectives on service delivery.
What were the key findings?
Key findings include:
- the friendliness and professionalism of staff within our practices across NW London was highlighted and valued.
- patients report challenges in securing timely GP appointments, particularly in areas with higher demand.
- there are now more digital tools to support access to healthcare, but some patients report barriers to accessing or using these effectively.
- continuity of care is important to our patients, however some patients find it difficult to see the same GP as often as they would like.
- patient trust and engagement with GP services is a crucial part of accessing high quality care, but can be impeded by language barriers, cultural factors, and past experiences with healthcare.
Particular areas of challenge include the fact that 60% of survey respondents with urgent needs were unable to book an urgent appointment and only 42% were satisfied with their ability to book a same day appointment.
Additionally, only half of residents in more deprived areas reported that they were satisfied with access to their GP. Yet, 72% of patients found online prescriptions easy to use and could see a GP when then wanted to. Three quarters of respondents said healthcare staff were professional and attentive.
