Some doctor’s surgeries in Bristol have far more patients per GP than others, NHS figures show.
On average, there are 1,719 patients for every full-time-equivalent GP in England - though the busiest in the city has more than four times this amount.
Emersons Green Medical Centre ranks 106th nationally for its GP-to-patients ratio with 7,279 patients per GP.
Regionally, the South West has the second-fewest patients per GP, at 1,573 while London has the most, at 1,956.
Professor Martin Marshall, who chairs the Royal College of GPs, said the increased workload expected of GPs and their teams, coupled with the chronic shortage of GPs, was unsustainable.
He added: “GPs want to be able to consistently give their patients the personalised care they deserve, no matter where they live in the country.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "There is no government recommendation for how many patients should be assigned to a GP, as the demands each patient places on their GP are different and can be affected by many different factors – including rurality and patient demographics.”
The figures, a snapshot from August 31 of this year, were published by NHS Digital and include trainee GP and locums. The GP-to-patient ratio is only one way of looking at how busy a surgery is.
Here are the surgeries with the most patients per GP in Bristol region:
5. Hillview Family Practice.
Hillview Family Practice, Hartcliffe was recorded as having 7,009 patients and the full-time equivalent of 2.8 GPs, meaning it has 2,539 patients per GP. | Google
6. Sea Mills Surgery
Sea Mills Surgery, Riverleaze was recorded as having 8,391 patients and the full-time equivalent of 3.6 GPs, meaning it has 2,331 patients per GP. | Google
7. The Student Health Service
The Student Health Service surgery, St Michael’s Hill, was recorded as having 20,648 patients and the full-time equivalent of 9 GPs, meaning it has 2,282 patients per GP. | Google
8. Gloucester Road Medical Centre
Gloucester Road Medical Centre, Horfield, was recorded as having 21,696 patients and the full-time equivalent of 9.7 GPs, meaning it has 2,244 patients per GP. | Google