A COMMON complaint for many residents is getting through to reception and making an appropriate appointment at their GP practice.

Over the past few years, there have been pressures facing GPs and the NHS, with declining numbers of doctors and an increasing demand and backlog of patients.

To try and help with this demand, the primary care sector has evolved so that patients now receive health assessments on the phone or online, rather than purely face-to-face consultations.

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In order to determine the experiences of patients, an NHS survey was conducted earlier this year at GP practices across the country.

The survey asked patients a range of questions such as the experience of making an appointment, the ease of getting through on the phone, how often their preferred GP is seen, and their confidence in their healthcare professional.

The results in St Helens can be found here, and while many patients rated the confidence in their GP highly, many practices scored a low rating in terms of ease of getting through to reception.

The experience of making an appointment and the satisfaction of appointment times offered were also ranked a low score in many practices.

The ratings have been determined by patients rating their experience from very easy/very satisfied/very good to not at all/very dissatisfied/very poor respectively.

GP rankings:

  • Atlas Medical Practice - Ease of getting through to reception (18.5%). Experience of making an appointment (37.9%) Satisfaction with appointment times (41.5%).
  • Berrymead Family Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (41.9%). Experience of making an appointment (43.4%). Satisfaction with appointment times (42%).
  • Bethany Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (83.8%). Experience of making an appointment (65.5%). Satisfaction with appointment times (54.7%).
  • Billinge Medical Practice - Ease of getting through to reception (11.5%). Experience of making an appointment (24.5%). Satisfaction with appointment times (20%).
  • The Bowery Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (46.8%). Experience of making an appointment (57.2%). Satisfaction with appointment times (59.5%).
  • Central Surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (51.7%). Experience of making an appointment (52%). Satisfaction with appointment times (40.3%).
  • The Crossroads Surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (78.3%). Experience of making an appointment (61.1%). Satisfaction with appointment times (53.2%).
  • Eccleston Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (71.5%). Experience of making an appointment (49.8%). Satisfaction with appointment times (47.8%).
  • Four Acre Health Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (16.5%). Experience of making an appointment (30.7%). Satisfaction with appointment times (29.7%).
  • Garswood Surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (75.6%). Experience of making an appointment (78.4%). Satisfaction with appointment times (74.4%).
  • Hall Street Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (93.1%). Experience of making an appointment (81.4%). Satisfaction with appointment times (70.2%).
  • Haydock Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (33.3%). Experience of making an appointment (38.7%). Satisfaction with appointment times (42.3%).
  • Kenneth MacRae Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (89.9%). Experience of making an appointment (76.9%). Satisfaction with appointment times (75.5%).
  • Lingholme Health Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (89.1%). Experience of making an appointment (84%). Satisfaction with appointment times (78.7%).
  • Longton Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (56.8%). Experience of making an appointment (62.3%). Satisfaction with appointment times (55%).
  • Marshalls Cross Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (49.8%). Experience of making an appointment (41%). Satisfaction with appointment times (47.9%).
  • Mill Street Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (36.9%). Experience of making an appointment (48%). Satisfaction with appointment times (32%).
  • Newton Community Hospital Practice - Ease of getting through to reception (22.5%). Experience of making an appointment (27.9%). Satisfaction with appointment times (28.5%).
  • Newton Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (58.2%). Experience of making an appointment (53.5%). Satisfaction with appointment times (47.8%).
  • Newholme Surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (87.1%). Experience of making an appointment (64.6%). Satisfaction with appointment times (57.2%).
  • Ormskirk House Surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (60.8%). Experience of making an appointment (77.9%). Satisfaction with appointment times (61.5%).
  • Parkfield Surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (86.8%). Experience of making an appointment (76.9%). Satisfaction with appointment times (67.8%).
  • Patterdale Lodge - Ease of getting through to reception (34.3%). Experience of making an appointment (44.9%). Satisfaction with appointment times (46.1%).
  • Phoenix Medical Practice - Ease of getting through to reception (52.2%). Experience of making an appointment (65.4%). Satisfaction with appointment times (58.4%).
  • Dr Rahil's Surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (84.7%). Experience of making an appointment (70.8%). Satisfaction with appointment times (64.8%).
  • Rainbow Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (31.5%). Experience of making an appointment (34.7%). Satisfaction with appointment times (31.6%).
  • Rainford Health Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (79.9%). Experience of making an appointment (77.7%). Satisfaction with appointment times (72%).
  • Rainhill Village Surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (49.6%). Experience of making an appointment (58.4%). Satisfaction with appointment times (58.8%).
  • The Spinney Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (35.4%). Experience of making an appointment (36.9%). Satisfaction with appointment times (32.5%).
  • Vista Road surgery - Ease of getting through to reception (32.1%). Experience of making an appointment (33.6%). Satisfaction with appointment times (41.6%).
  • Windermere Medical Centre - Ease of getting through to reception (63.4%). Experience of making an appointment (59.6%). Satisfaction with appointment times (56.7%).