Have you been struggling to get a face-to-face GP appointment lately? If so, you aren’t alone.

The issue of whether GPs are offering enough face-to-face appointments is currently being hotly debated.

New analysis has shown that there is on average one GP per 2,038 people across the country, a 5 per cent rise since 2015.

According to the 2021 GP Patient Survey, which takes results from January to March 2021, more than two in three patients (68.5 per cent) were offered a choice of appointments when they last tried to book one.

However, only half of patients (50.3) said they had an in-person appointment when they last tried to book one for themselves – this is a decrease of 39.5 per cent when compared to 2020.

Using GP Survey data, we have uncovered the best and worst GP surgeries when it comes to booking an appointment.

According to their findings, 68 per cent of people in the Blackburn and wider East Lancashire area said they find it easy to get through to the GP practice by phone.

73 per cent of local people said they had a ‘good’ experience trying to make an appointment.

The national figures suggest that 69 per cent of people were offered a choice of appointment.

However, how do Blackburn with Darwen GPs compare? We have created a list of the best and worst GPs to book an appointment at (ranked based on respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment).

Here is what we found:  

Witton Medical Centre, Preston Old Road, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 145

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 93 per cent

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 87 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 80 per cent.

 

Spring-Fenisco Healthlink, Springfield Surgery, 102 Bolton Road, Darwen

Number of surveys received: 149

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 91 per cent

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 96 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 84 per cent

This practice has scored higher than the local average in every question.

 

Blakewater Healthcare, Whalley New Road, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 145

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 84 per cent

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone:  75 per cent – which is seven percent higher than the national average.

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 60 per cent – which is six per cent lower than the local average.

 

Brownhill Surgery, Whalley New Road, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 128

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 83 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 72 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 75 per cent.

 

Roman Road Health Centre, Off Fishmoor Drive, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 119

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 83 per cent

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 86 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 67 per cent.

 

Darwen Health Centre, James Street West, Darwen

Number of surveys received: 123

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 83 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 82 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 70 per cent

 

Redlam Surgery, Redlam, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 111

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 79 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 85 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 70 per cent.

 

Hollins Grove Surgery, Blackburn Road, Darwen

Number of surveys received: 128

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 78 per cent

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 89 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 78 per cent

 

Bentham Road Health Centre, Bentham Road, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 140

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 78 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 69 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 75 per cent

 

Little Harwood Health Ctr, Plane Tree Road, Little Harwood

Number of surveys received: 104

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 77 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 69 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 69 per cent

 

The Cornerstone Practice, Shadsworth Surgery, Shadsworth Road

Number of surveys received: 126

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 77 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 66 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 65 per cent

 

The Weavers Practice, High Street, Rishton, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 111

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 76 per cent. 36 per cent of these described their experience as ‘very good’.
 

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 81 per cent.

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 61 per cent.

 

 

Pringle Street Surgery, Blackburn, Lancashire

Number of surveys received: 93

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 74 per cent (25 per cent rated their experience as ‘very good’ while 49 per cent said it was ‘fairly good’)

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 72 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 76 per cent.

 

St George’s Surgery, 62 Haslingden Road, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 117

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 74 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 72 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 84 per cent.

 

Limefield Surgery, Preston New Road, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 112

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 71 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 74 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 69 per cent.

 

Oakenhurst Medical Practice, Simmons Street, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 129

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 71 per cent – which is two per cent lower than the local average.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 61 per cent – which is three per cent higher than the local average.

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 72 per cent – which is six per cent lower than the local average.

 

Ewood Medical Centre, Bolton Road, Ewood

Number of surveys received: 104

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 69 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 82 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 75 per cent.

 

Darwen Healthlink, Darwen Health Centre, James Street West, Darwen

Number of surveys received: 119

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 69 per cent

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 72 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 65 per cent

 

Primrose Bank Medical Centre, Larkhill, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 138

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 66 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 74 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 71 per cent.

 

Family Practice, Barbara Castle Way, Simmons Street, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 104

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 66 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 61 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 63 per cent

 

Stepping Stone Practice, Longton Close, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 104

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 62 per cent.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 55 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 65 per cent.
 

Shifa Surgery, Bangor Street Health, Resource Centre, Bangor Street, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 99

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 49 per cent

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 39 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 57  per cent

 

Olive Medical Centre, Lime Street, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 105

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 46 per cent – which is 27 per cent lower than the local average. 22 per cent said their experience of making an appointment was ‘very poor’.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 31 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 55 per cent.

 

William Hopwood Street Surgery, Audley, Blackburn

Number of surveys received: 81

Respondents who have a ‘good’ experience of making an appointment: 45 per cent.

32 per cent rated their experience as ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ poor.

Patients who find it easy to get through to GP via phone: 26 per cent

Patients who were offered a choice of appointment when they last called: 66 per cent

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