Satisfaction with GPs falls in Greater Manchester

The Royal College of GPs said the numbers – which show a continuing national decline in patient satisfaction – portray an "over-stretched and over-burdened" service.

The survey, carried out between January and April, reveals 71.4 per cent of patients in the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board area said they had a very good or fairly good overall experience with their GP service – down from 72 per cent 2022.

It was a significant fall from pre-pandemic levels, when the 2019 report found 84.4 per cent were happy with their GP practice.

In 2023, 14.7 per cent of patients said they had a fairly poor or very poor experience, while 13.9 per cent patients said their experience was neither good nor bad.

Dr Michael Mulholland, honorary secretary of the RCGP, said the survey findings reflect an "over-stretched and over-burdened" service where staff were providing a positive experience for patients despite intense workloads and pressures.

"It is always difficult to hear when patients report unsatisfactory experiences or have difficulties accessing our services. Yet we do share their frustrations – GPs and our teams want to be able to deliver safe, timely and appropriate care for their patients," he said.

He added the service needed significant investment, alongside curbing the rate of GP turnover and bolstering the workforce with young GPs.

Nationally, 71.3 per cent of patients said they had a good overall experience with their GP practice this year, a significant fall from 82.9 per cent pre-pandemic.

Meanwhile, the proportion of patients who reported a poor experience has risen from 6.5 per cent in 2019 to 14.2 per cent this year.

An NHS England spokesperson said: "While GP teams are experiencing record demand for their services – delivering half a million more appointments every week compared to before the pandemic – this survey has found that the majority of patients have a good overall experience at their GP practice."

They added the NHS acknowledges more action is needed to improve access for patients.

It launched a plan in May with more help available at pharmacies, more options to self-refer and greater use of technology to end the 8am “rush” for appointments.