More than a third of patients think GP wait times in England are too long and have had difficulties in contacting doctors and securing appointments.
The NHS England GP Patient Survey 2024 found 34% of patients felt the waiting time for their GP appointment took ‘too long’, while a further 10% claimed that their needs were not at all met at their last appointment.
When it comes to accessibility, almost four in 10 (38%) patients found it either fairly difficult or very difficult to reach their GP over the phone.
Furthermore, a similar proportion of patients encountered difficulties while trying to contact their GP through the NHS App (39%) and the GP’s website (37%).
The survey found 15.8%, 17.7% and 22.1% of those surveyed found it very difficult to contact their GP practice via phone, website or NHS App respectively.
But notably, patients did not have a loyalty towards one doctor or expectation of who they were seen by, as the research found two thirds (67%) of respondents did not have a particular healthcare professional they prefered to speak to.
Eight in 10 respondents (80%) had tried to contact their GP practice for themselves or someone else in the last six months, with treatment for new health issues the most common reason (40.4%), followed by advice on an existing issue (24.6%), getting a prescription (12.4%) and getting test results (5.8%).
Last week British Medical Association (BMA) members overwhelmingly backed industrial action which could see GPs across England limit the number of patients they see to 25 a day.
Insurers across the health and protection sectors have reported soaring use of remote GP services since the pandemic with many widening availability to meet demand.
Missed opportunities
Emily Jones, client consulting director at Broadstone, said: “Despite GP care being a critical first line of defence for our health, many patients struggle to get appointments, face extended waiting times and are confused about the outcomes of their consultation.
“This trend represents millions of missed opportunities to identify and manage conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol, increasing the risk of more severe conditions and absenteeism and low-productivity among the working-age population.
“In response to these challenges, employer-funded digital GP services, onsite health checks and screenings are emerging as a vital means of bridging the healthcare gap for the UK workforce, and supporting access to timely, effective medical care.
“By leveraging technology and prioritising preventative care, employers, insurers and occupational health providers are increasingly working in partnership to proactively create a more resilient and efficient workplace healthcare system that supports the health of the workforce and the broader community.”