Patients wait more than a month to see GP in growing postcode lottery

Patients are waiting more than a month to see their GP in some parts of the country in a growing postcode lottery for primary care, NHS England figures show.

In January, 1.6 million GP appointments took place more than 28 days after initially being booked.

In the Midlands, where patients faced the most delayed appointments at the start of the year, more than 325,000 check-ups only came after a month-long wait.

Millions of patients are struggling to access GP appointments, with the challenges fuelling record low dissatisfaction with the NHS.

The latest British Social Attitudes poll, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research and sponsored by The King’s Fund and

Nuffield Trust, found just 34 per cent of people were satisfied with GP services in 2023, the lowest level since the survey began in 1983. Nuffield Trust Fellow Jessica Morris called the situation “alarming” and said many people “are citing long waits for GP appointments as an important reason” for the dissatisfaction. Data released by NHS England this month showed that the Midlands took the top spot for waits of more than 28 days, as well as waits of between 15 and 21 days, with 414,530 appointments in this bracket.

The North East and Yorkshire followed in second place with 372,568 appointments subject to a 15- to 21day wait, 250,828 with a 22- to 28-day wait and 317,533 taking place more than 28 days after they were booked. Statistics on 15-day and over waits for GP appointments were lowest in London, with 234,328 taking place between 15 and 21 days, 131,064 between 22 and 28 days and 100,724 taking place more than 28 days after the time of booking.

In the South East, 338,162 GP appointments went ahead after a 15- to 21-day wait, while that figure stood at 269,847 in the east of England, 266,903 in the South West and 247,384 in the North West.

At the highest end of the scale – more than 28 days – 264,651 were recorded in the South East, 245,949 in the South West, 220,354 in the east of England and 160,309 in the North West. Nationally, more than 1.6 million GP appointments were held more than 28 days on from when they were booked.

Historically, general practice has been the service with the highest levels of public satisfaction. But the new figures show it has now dropped to its lowest level since the British Social Attitudes survey began.

GP Steve Taylor, based in Manchester, said demand for GP appointments is rising at a rate practices cannot meet, frustrating patients and doctors alike. “Demand is outstripping supply and will continue to rise without investment,” he said.

Retired GP Peter Johnson said issues with waiting times have worsened since he left the profession a decade ago. “For urgent things one has to wait possibly days even to talk to anybody, and it just isn’t acceptable.”

The major reason for dissatisfaction was waiting times for GP and hospital appointments (71 per cent), according to the British Social Attitudes poll. It found patients think the NHS’s biggest priority should be making it easier to get a GP appointment (52 per cent) and increasing staff (51 per cent).