Council urges NHS to make GP services better in Telford and Wrekin
Telford and Wrekin Council is urging the NHS to provide the best possible services at every GP practice in the borough, not just at some.
This appeal follows from the findings of the NHS England’s GP Patient Survey 2023.
The national survey asked residents to rate their experience with their GP practice and shows the GPs that residents rate the best and the worst in Telford and Wrekin.
The survey looked at how easy people found it to make an appointment over the phone, how often they see or speak to a preferred GP and how satisfied they are with the GP services overall.
Cllr Paul Watling (Lab), cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Health Systems said:
“Being able to see a GP and having a very good GP service is very important to our residents.
“Over the last years we have been actively telling the NHS that residents are concerned about how difficult it is to see a GP.
“Our efforts in raising these concerns with the NHS have led to a number of improvements in GP services.
“Many people are pleased with the services they receive in Newport at Wellington Road Surgery or in Madeley at Court Street Medical Practice.
“However, we are very concerned that residents are less satisfied with some GPs elsewhere within the borough. People in some areas of the borough told us it’s still difficult for them to get through on the phone with a GP, to get an appointment at a preferred time or that they have low confidence in the doctor they saw.
“We know GPs are working very hard and that they are dealing with a high demand and we continue to work to provide services to help reduce the pressures on the GPs.
“As a council on the side of our residents, we want them to have the best possible services at every GP in the borough, not just at some.
“That’s why we are urging the NHS to support GP practices that our residents are not satisfied with to improve their services without delay.
“To further understand how people feel about their local GP services, our council and Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin are currently running a local survey. We are asking people to share their experiences of their local GP, in particular to rate how easy it is to access their services.
“Please take five minutes and take part in this survey on Healthwatch Telford & Wrekin website.
“All feedback counts. We will continue to tirelessly demand the best GP services for our residents, regardless of the area they live in.”
Simon Fogell, Chief Executive Officer at Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin said:
“While we welcome the results of the latest NHS England survey, with a number of local GPs ranking at the top in terms of the overall residents’ satisfaction, there are still issues with GPs in some local communities.
“For instance, some people are frustrated at the length of time they're waiting on a telephone to speak to a GP or to get a face-to-face appointment.
“We are now collecting all these experiences in a local survey. This survey helps us better understand how people living in different parts of the borough experience their local GP services and supports our work with the NHS in tackling inequalities in accessing healthcare services.”
