Publication date
November 2022
Key findings
The main issues raised were:
Appointment availability
- Insufficient availability of GP appointments and a convoluted booking system.
- Phoning at 8am and waiting in queues is impractical for many, especially shift workers, carers, and those with health conditions.
Staff attitudes
- Concerns about the manner of receptionists and triage staff, and inefficient referrals and diagnoses.
Impact of Covid-19
- The pandemic affected GP services, with many surgeries slow to return to normal, particularly lacking face-to-face appointments.
Digitisation challenges
- Dependence on phone systems and virtual consultations risks excluding those not digitally connected or those with conditions better suited to face-to-face interactions.
Consistency in care
- Positive effects of seeing the same GP regularly, promoting feelings of being understood and reducing hospitalisations and mortality.
Overall, while the service is fine once an appointment is secured, the process of getting an appointment and the attitudes of staff are major issues.
Additional information
Survey by Healthwatch Essex.
Healthwatch Hertfordshire and Healthwatch Essex have been commissioned by the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) Primary Care Workstream to undertake a series of engagement projects.
The aims of the engagement projects include:
- Gathering lived experiences to feed directly into the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS
Primary Care Workstream. - Supporting and enabling the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS to achieve wider
participant engagement. - Engaging patients and the public on programmes covering key priorities and areas of
importance at a regional and local level. - Making recommendations to the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS Primary Care Workstream so improvement can be implemented.