MORE patients are satisfied with their GP surgeries this year than they were last year, an annual survey has revealed.

The annual GP Patient Survey has revealed the best and worst surgeries in Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire.

And some 86 per cent of patients rated their overall experience of GP practices in Blackburn with Darwen as good this year, compared to 84 per cent last year.

While in East Lancashire, the figure is 84 per cent for this year compared to 83 last year, despite the increasing demand and pressures on GP practices.

The survey asked residents for their opinions on practices, measuring their experiences on a range of topics including the ease of making appointments, waiting times, the quality of care given, practice opening times and out-of-hours services.

The most recent NHS Blackburn with Darwen CCG survey saw 9,013 questionnaires sent out with 2,455 patients completing them. For East Lancashire CCG, 18,717 questionnaires were sent out with 5,716 completing the survey.

Hollins Grove Surgery in Darwen received the highest satisfaction rating with 99 per cent believing the practice to be good.

The best rated surgery last year, Brownhill Surgery in Blackburn (98 per cent), was the second highest this year although it had the same rating.

Last year's worst rated surgery, Olive Medical Centre in Blackburn, is once again bottom of the charts this year with just 56 per cent of its patients rating it as good.

Scroll down for the full rankings for Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire

A further eight surgeries, Shifa Surgery on Bangor Street, Blackburn (64 per cent), Family Practice in Blackburn (67 per cent), Stepping Stone Practice in Audley (75 per cent), Blakewater Health Centre in Blackburn (75 per cent), Dr DC Mathur & PTNR in Blackburn (75 per cent), Dr N Nagpal’s Practice in Audley (77 per cent), Pringle Street Surgery in Blackburn (79 per cent) and Limefield Surgery in Blackburn (80 per cent), had patient satisfaction ratings below the national average of 83 per cent.

Meanwhile across the rest of East Lancashire, Yorkshire Street Medical Centre, in Burnley, received the highest rating with 99 per cent believing their practice to be good.

The best rated surgeries last year, Slaidburn Health Centre and Kiddrow Medical Practice in Burnley (98 per cent), are the fourth and sixth highest this time around.

Richmond Medical Centre, in Accrington, was the lowest ranked one with 55 per cent, replacing Daneshouse Medical Centre, in Burnley, which was bottom last year.

A further 25 surgeries, Riverside Family Practice (64 per cent), Fairmore Medical Practice (65 per cent), ELMS Federated Practice (68 per cent), Myrtle House (70 per cent), Danehouse Medical Practice (71 per cent), King Street Medical Centre (72 per cent), Peel House Medical Practice (73 per cent), Blackburn Road Medical Centre (73 per cent), Whitefield Health Care (75 per cent), Colne Road Surgery (76 per cent), Oswald Medical Centre (77 per cent), Burnley Group Practice (77), Dr Malik & Partner (77 per cent), Barrowford Surgery (78 per cent), Reedyford Health Care Group (78 per cent), AVHAC registered patients (79 per cent), Dr Jehangir (80 per cent), Dr AK JHA (80 per cent), Ilex View Medical Practice (81 per cent), Rossendale Valley Medical Practice (81 per cent), Great Harwood Medical Group (82 per cent), St James' Medical Centre (83 per cent), Briercliffe Surgery (83 per cent) and Ightenhill Medical Centre (83 per cent), had satisfaction ratings below the national average.

Dr Penny Morris, medical director at Blackburn with Darwen CCG, welcomed the survey.

She said: “These are really positive and encouraging results and I would like to thank all of our GP colleagues across the two CCG areas for their hard work particularly given the increasing demand on their practices and the pressure they experience as GPs.

“GPs provide a vital, frontline service for patients. Whilst we are glad that our patients are telling us that they are very happy with certain aspects of their GP service, we are committed to improving our GP services even further and working on the areas that aren’t doing as well and seeing how we can make things better for patients.”

Overall patient satisfaction ratings for Blackburn with Darwen’s GP practices (per cent)

1) Hollins Grove Surgery - 99

2) Brownhill Surgery - 98

3) St Georges Surgery - 97

4) Bentham Road Health Centre 95

5) Darwen Healthlink - 94

6) Dr A Calow's Practice - 93

=) Witton Medical Centre - 93

7) Oakenhurst Medical Practice - 92

8) The Cornerstone Practice - 89

=) Spring-Fenisco Healthlink - 89

=) Darwen Healthcare - 89

9) Roman Road Health Centre - 88

=) Little Harwood Health Centre - 88

10) Dr RC Rautray's Practice - 86

11) Limefield Surgery - 80

12) Pringle Street Surgery - 79

13) Dr N Nagpal's Practice - 77

14) Blakewater Health Centre - 75

=) Dr DC Mathur & PTNR - 75

=) Stepping Stone Practice - 75

15) Family Practice - 67

16) Shifa Surgery - 64

17) Olive Medical Centre - 56

Overall patient satisfaction ratings for East Lancashire GP practices

1) Yorkshire Street Medical Centre, Burnley - 99

2) Harambee Surgery, Trawden - 97

=) Barnoldswick Medical Centre - 97

3) Slaidburn Health Centre - 96

4) Burnley Wood Medical Centre - 95

=) Kiddrow Medical Practice, Burnley - 95

5) The Royle, Great Harwood- 94

=) Padiham Group Practice, Padiham - 94

=) Irwell Medical Practice, Bacup - 94

6) The Pendle Medical Partnership, Colne - 92

7) Cabin Surgery, Rishton - 91

=) Dr Bello's Surgery, Accrington - 91

=) Pendle View Medical Centre, Nelson - 91

=) Whalley Medical Centre - 91

8) Dr THM Mackenzie & Partners, Haslingden - 90

9) Higher Heys Surgery, Oswaldtwistle - 89

=) Rosegrove Surgery, Burnley - 89

=) Whitworth Medical Centre - 89

=) The Richmond Hill Practice, Colne - 89

10) Dill Hall Surgery, Accrington - 88

=) Pendleside Medical Practice, Clitheroe - 88

11) Rishton & Great Harwood Surgery - 87

=) Dr Moujaes, Haslingden - 87

12) The Clayton Medical Centre, Clayton-le-Moors - 86

=) The Castle Medical Group, Clitheroe - 86

13) Waterfoot Group Of Doctors - 85

=) Thursby Surgery, Burnley - 85

14) Parkside Surgery, Burnley - 84

15) Ightenhill Medical Centre, Burnley - 83

=) Briercliffe Surgery - 83

=) St James' Medical Centre, Rawtenstall - 83

16) Great Harwood Medical Group - 82

17) Rossendale Valley Medical Practice, Haslingden - 81

=) Illex View Medical Practice, Rawtenstall - 81

18) Dr AK JHA, Colne - 80

=) Dr Jehangir, Nelson - 80

19) AVHAC registered patients, Accrington - 79

20) Reedyford Health Care Group, Nelson - 78

=) Barrowford Surgery - 78

21) Dr Malik & Partner, Nelson - 77

=) Burnley Group Practice - 77

=) Oswald Medical Centre, Accrington - 77

22) Colne Road Surgery, Burnley - 76

23) Whitefield Health Care, Nelson - 75

24) Blackburn Road Medical Centre, Accrington - 73

=) Peel House Medical Practice, Accrington - 73

25) King Street Medical Centre, Accrington - 72

26) Danehouse Medical Practice, Burnley - 71

27) Myrtle House, Accrington - 70

28) ELMS Federated Practice, Nelson - 68

29) Fairmore Medical Practice, Padiham - 65

30) Riverside Family Practice, Burnley - 64

31) Richmond Medical Centre, Accrington - 55