Thousands of patients had to wait more than 28 days for an appointment at their GP surgery last month, new figures show.
The data published by NHS Digital reveals the strain many GP surgeries are under, detailing appointments that took place in general practice in England in October 2022.
Across England, nearly half of appointments last month (49%) took place on the same day they were booked, NationalWorld analysis found. Around 3% - some 640,000 - took place more than 28 days later. This didn’t include appointments which are usually booked in advance, such as medication reviews.
But in some surgeries more than a third of appointments involved a 28-day wait in October. Any surgeries with fewer than 100 appointments in the month were excluded from the analysis.
Responding to the latest GP appointment and workforce data for England, Dr Kieran Sharrock, deputy chair of GPC England at the BMA, said: “These figures, which show the highest level of GP appointments on record, demonstrate how busy practices are, especially on top of the dramatic increase in seasonal vaccination appointments – but there’s a limit to what general practice can safely deliver with such a depleted workforce. We need real solutions to the staffing crisis, and to make general practice a safe place to work so that doctors can continue treating patients.
“This includes government addressing long-standing issues that are driving doctors away, such as unsafe and unsustainable workloads and punitive pension taxation rules. Only then will we be able to deliver the care our patients need and deserve.”
Which GP surgeries in England had the highest wait for an appointment? These are the 15 GP practices with the highest percentage of appointments involving waits of more than 28 days.
1. Laurbel Surgery, Hull
44.9% of appointments in October 2022 were booked more than 28 days before.
2. Whitley Bay Health Centre, Whitley Bay
42.2% of appointments in October 2022 were booked more than 28 days before.
3. Fulwell Medical Centre, Sunderland
41.1% of appointments in October 2022 were booked more than 28 days before.
4. Mandalay Medical Centre, Bolton
40.7% of appointments in October 2022 were booked more than 28 days before.