The vast majority of patients have confidence and trust in their family general practice staff such as nurses and pharmacists, according to new research published today by NHS England.
Patients rated their overall experience of their general practice highly, with four out of five saying staff treat them with ‘care and concern’ and provide them with enough time to listen to their needs. With patient choice a priority in the NHS Long Term Plan, nine out of 10 patients felt involved in decisions about their care, while seven in 10 rated their overall experience of making an appointment as good, the GP patient survey shows.
‘Family doctors in England see nearly one million people every day and this survey shows they appreciate the fantastic job they do alongside other practice staff such as nurses and pharmacists,’ said Dr Nikita Kanani, acting director of primary care for NHS England.
‘However, GPs continue to face pressure and increasing demand and while seven in 10 patients were satisfied with the appointment they were offered, some patients were waiting longer than they would have liked to see their GP.’
Other key findings of the survey include 82.9% describing the overall experience of their GP practice as good, while 67.4% of patients rated their overall experience of making an appointment as good. Additionally, of everyone who wanted a same day appointment, 62.1% got one.
‘Increasingly, patients will see their general practices bolstered by teams of health professionals such as social prescribers, pharmacists and therapists, as well as clinical nurses, physician associates and community paramedics, who will give them the specialist care they need, while freeing up family doctors to care for the sickest people,’ added Dr Kanani.