NHS patients in Bristol have reported mixed satisfaction ratings for local doctor’s surgeries in the area, according to the latest GP Patient Survey.
Produced by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England, the 2023 GP Patient Survey asked people across the country what they think about their local GP practice. It surveyed 2.7 million people between January and April 2023 and had a response rate of 29%.
The results show 14.2% of respondents were unhappy with the overall experience provided by their local doctor’s surgery – the highest rate in six years and 0.6 percentage points greater than last year when 13.6% said they found their experience either fairly poor or very poor. Almost three quarters (71.3%) had a positive experience of their GP surgery, saying their overall experience was either ‘very good’ or ‘fairly good’ – the lowest rate in six years. In addition, 14.5% said their experience was ‘neither good nor bad’.
Dr Richard van Mellaerts, the British Medical Association’s England GP committee deputy chair, said GP practices were struggling to cope with demand.
He said: “These findings are - despite the huge pressures practices are under – testament to the hard work, professionalism and dedication of GPs and their teams.
“This survey is proof positive that the problems in general practice today lie squarely on the shoulders of a Government that refuses to invest properly in the health service and not on GPs or practice staff who are going above and beyond to ensure patients are getting the care they deserve.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Appointments are already on the rise, and we recently announced £240 million of support to practices across the UK to embrace the latest technology, tackle the 8am rush and make it easier for patients to see their GP.”
A spokesperson for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB, said: “We welcome this valuable feedback on local GP services, and are pleased to see that results across our area are above the national average in many areas of the survey, including people’s overall experience of an appointment and overall experience of making an appointment, the performance of healthcare professionals and their ability to recognise mental health needs.
“We also recognise there are areas for improvement. We are continuing to share learning between practices about what works well, and are working to support practices to deliver high-quality services to patients.”
“General practice is continuing to develop. Practices are working hard to make sure everyone can access the right support when they need it; whether that’s online or face-to-face. The GP surgery team is growing and patients may be offered an appointment with a specialist such as an advanced nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, or clinical pharmacist rather than a GP. Our local campaign ‘Your GP surgery team cares for you’ highlights some of the innovation happening in our area.”
Here are the ten GPs with the highest satisfaction ratings in the Bristol area.
1. Pill
At Heywood Family Practice in Lodway Gardens, Pill, 97% of patients surveyed said their overall experience was good.
2. North Common
At Close Farm Surgery in Victoria Road, North Common, 92.1% of patients surveyed said their overall experience was good.
3. Sea Mills
At Sea Mills Surgery in Sea Mills, 90.8% of patients surveyed said their overall experience was good.
4. Portishead
At Harbourside Family Practice in Portishead, 90.6% of patients surveyed said their overall experience was good.