Patience wearing out for patients waiting for GPs
Patients in England are still waiting too long to see their GP, according to a poll by the Healthcare Commission.
Twenty-five per cent of the 69,000 people polled revealed that they have waited longer than the official target of two days for an appointment. However, satisfaction levels with the level of care on offer are high.
A quarter of people said surgery opening hours were inconvenient and more than half had problems getting through to book an appointment on the phone.
Younger people in particular appear to be avoiding visiting their GP practice because opening hours do not fit in with their lifestyles.
GP access has been a cause of conflict between doctors and the Government in recent months, with ministers pushing through a deal to extend surgery opening hours despite opposition from the British Medical Association (BMA).
However, once patients have seen their GP, they feel that their problems are dealt with "completely" to their satisfaction, with 93 per cent saying they were treated with "respect and dignity".
Some of Westfield Health’s cash plans offer a 24-hour GP telephone consultation service, which enables policyholders to speak to a fully qualified GP at a convenient time, wherever they are in the world.
A policyholder can speak to a GP over the phone without feeling embarrassed or awkward and can feel confident that they are talking to a genuine health professional.
© Westfield Health Insurance 2012
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