One in three Britons skip appointment with their GP over phone frustration

Many people are going without seeing their GP because they find it too difficult to make an appointment, a poll has found.

More than a third (36 per cent) of people surveyed said they had gone without seeing their doctor in the past 12 months because they could not get through on the phone, Octopus Healthcare said.

About one in five (19 per cent) said they had gone without seeing their GP more than once in the past year. The Censuswide poll surveyed more than 2,000 over-16s in the UK.

Octopus Healthcare chief executive Benjamin Davis said: “GP practices up and down the country are doing a fantastic job, often in challenging circumstances, as they strive to meet the diverse needs of patients.

“Sadly,

it’s clear that millions of people are having to go without seeing their GP because they can’t get through to make an appointment. This is just one of a complex set of pressures on our health system. We need innovative solutions to fix the problem.

“Merging GP practices together on a local level in modern, quality buildings is a key part of the solution. Larger practices and better-equipped buildings help attract and retain staff, and allow practices to use new technology.”