‘Formal review’ of GP access arrangements needed, says Healthwatch

A new report from Healthwatch has highlighted the need for a review of GP access arrangements, after finding many people have struggled to access care from their GP practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UK-based charity Healthwatch conducted a review of GP access using a range of sources and drawing on nearly 200,000 people’s experiences, shared between April 2019 and December 2020.

The review found that communication, including communicating information about changes to services as a result of COVID-19, was not a top priority for all GP services during the pandemic.

This left people ‘confused’ as to how to contact their GP, the process of making an appointment and what to expect when attending their GP surgery.

In addition, the report found that by autumn 2020, people were experiencing long waits for phone appointments, with issues also reported about booking appointments due to triage systems and not knowing when a GP or healthcare professional will call back.

By December 2020, around 75% of people who contacted Healthwatch reported a negative experience of accessing GP services, an increase of 20% on the same point in 2019.

Following its analysis, Healthwatch has called on NHS England to undertake a formal review of GP access to ensure everyone can easily access General Practice services.

“We urge NHS England to undertake a formal review of GP access arrangements to make sure it is working for everyone,” said Sir Robert Francis, chair of Healthwatch.

“It is important that people understand the changes brought in during the pandemic are here to stay and how that affects the way they can get the care and support they need,” he added.