PATIENTS of most GP practices in the Emersons Green area are continuing to have problems contacting their surgery – both by phone and online.
The 2024 NHS GP Patient Survey found that just 9% of patients at Emersons Green Medical Centre said it was easy to get through by phone – against a national average of 50% – with 79% saying it was difficult.
Only 25% of respondents said it was easy to use the practice website to get in touch, and 11% found it easy to use the NHS app, compared with national averages of 48% and 45% respectively.
At Leap Valley Medical Centre, 14% found it easy to get through by phone, 33% found it easy to contact the surgery online and 24% said it was easy to use the app.
At Downend Health Group, which runs the Willow Surgery and Christchurch Family Medical Centre, just 6% of patients found it easy to contact the practice on the phone, 19% online and 23% using the app.
Bucking the trend was Three Shires Medical Practice in Wick, which serves many Pucklechurch residents: 91% found it easy to get through by phone, 70% online and 74% using the app.
When making appointments, 31% of Emersons Green patients were offered a choice of time or day for their appointment, against a national average of 53%.
Asked how long they waited, 6% were offered a same-day appointment, 4% next day and 57% waited a week or more, with 57% of survey respondents feeling they waited too long.
At Leap Valley, 51% of patients were offered a choice of time or day, with 19% being seen on the same day, 5% the next day and 53% a week or more later – 61% felt they waited too long.
At Downend, 22% were offered a choice of time or day and 51% said they waited too long, with same-day appointments offered to 17%, 11% next day and 42% waiting a week or more.
At Three Shires, 68% were offered a choice of time or day, 25% were seen on the same day, 8% on the next day and 30% a week or more later: 77% said they waited the right amount of time.
Overall, 51% of Emersons Green and Leap Valley patients said their experience of the practice was good, against a national average of 74%.
At Downend, the proportion was 54%, while at Three Shires, 90% of patients said their experience was good.
The survey was published as GPs voted overwhelmingly to take ‘work-to-rule’ action, including limiting the number of patient appointments per day, as representative body the British Medical Association warned practices had reached a “desperate point” due to underfunding and extra pressures.
A spokesperson for NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, which is in charge of funding surgeries, said results across the region were above the national average in many areas, including overall experience and trust in professionals.
The spokesperson added: “We also recognise there are areas for improvement, and we are continuing to work together with all our practices and wider partners to share learning and support each other to deliver high-quality services to patients.”