MORE patients of GP practices are being offered same-day appointments than a year ago, new figures show.
More than 700,000 patients across the country responded to the annual NHS GP Patient Survey, published in July, including 106 at Frome Valley Medical Centre in Frampton Cotterell, 126 at Yate’s West Walk Surgery practice, which includes Coalpit Heath Surgery, and 124 at nearby Kennedy Way surgery.
It found 24% of patients at Frome Valley Medical Centre were offered appointments on the day they made contact, up from 17% last year but below the national average of 28%. The proportion waiting a week or more for an appointment was down, from 37% in 2024 to 34% this year.
The other 30% of patients waited between a day and a week, although some people couldn’t remember how long they waited.
A choice of day or time was offered to 46% of Frome Valley patients, up from 40% last year, and 61% said they waited the right amount of time to see a professional: the national averages are 54% and 67% respectively.
At West Walk, 21% of patients were offered same-day appointments, up from 17% last year, while the number waiting a week or more fell from 46% to 43%, with 54% offered a choice of time or date and 68% feeling they didn’t wait too long.
At Kennedy Way, 61% of patients were offered a same-day appointment, up from 59% last year, while the number waiting a week or longer was 13%, up from 12% in 2024. A choice of date or time was offered to 58% of patients, and 87% thought they waited the right amount of time.
Phone problems
Many patients still reported problems reaching Frome Valley on the phone: the number finding it difficult was the same as last year at 62%, with only 24% finding it easy to get through (down from 29%). Nationally, 36% of patients reported difficulties, with 53% finding it easy.
Most patients – 58% – found it easy to get through to West Walk, with the number reporting difficulties down from 34% to 28% this year.
At Kennedy Way surgery in Yate, 58% found it easy to get through, up from 47% last year, with 31% saying it was not easy – down from 44%.
Confidence
Almost all patients – 96% at Frome Valley and West Walk, and 98% at Kennedy Way – had confidence in the professional who saw them.
However the percentage of patients saying they had a good overall experience of their surgery at Frome Valley fell from 75% to 69% this year.
At West Walk, 80% of patients said they had a good experience, up from 70% last year, while 83% of patients at Kennedy Way in Yate were satisfied, down slightly from 88% last year. The national average is 75%.
A spokesperson for the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, which is in charge of funding surgeries, said: “It is encouraging to see that results are in line with national averages.
“As in previous years we will continue to use the survey data, alongside other information, to help us identify practices that may need additional support, working with them to improve their resilience and services to patients.”