One in 10 people failed to get through to their GP surgery last month, according to a survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Experts said it comes amid “intense workload and workforce pressures” in the general practice system.
As part of the poll, conducted between October 18 and 29, some 52.4 million people were asked if they had contacted their GP in the past month, with 53% answering yes.
The ONS also asked 27.6 million people if they had managed to make contact with their practice the last time they attempted it.
The question said contact could mean “receiving a response from a receptionist or clinician or being able to book an appointment”.
While 65% of people managed to get a response from their GP on the same day, 10% did not get any response at all.
Some 20% also said they found contacting their practice to be “difficult”, while 10% said the process was “very difficult”.
Current difficulties with access are not the fault of hardworking GPs who are trying their best in increasingly difficult circumstances – and it’s worth noting that the majority of patients report a good experience of their GP practice once they’re seen.— Prof Kamila Hawthorne
Of 24.9 million people asked what they did as a next step, 6% made contact another day, 16% found what they needed online or over the phone and 16% were given an appointment more than two weeks after initially making contact.
Some 45% were given an appointment within two weeks.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: “GPs want our patients to receive safe, timely and appropriate care, so we share their frustrations and worries when they have difficulty accessing our services.
“But current difficulties with access are not the fault of hardworking GPs who are trying their best in increasingly difficult circumstances – and it’s worth noting that the majority of patients report a good experience of their GP practice once they’re seen.”
Staff across the NHS are working hard to cope with increased demand— NHS spokesperson
However, Prof Hawthorne said, “access issues are symptomatic of a much bigger problem”.
“General practice is already facing intense workload and workforce pressures, following years of inadequate funding and poor workforce planning,” she added.
In August it was confirmed that more than 1,000 GP surgeries would have their telephone systems upgraded by spring, which officials said would end the “8am scramble” for appointments.
The £240 million scheme forms part of the Government’s Primary Care Recovery Plan, which will aim to make it easier and quicker for patients to contact their family doctor.
GPs are delivering half a million more appointments each week compared to pre-pandemic— NHS spokesperson
An NHS England spokesperson said: “Staff across the NHS are working hard to cope with increased demand and GPs are delivering half a million more appointments each week compared to pre-pandemic – up almost a quarter since the previous year.
“In line with our commitment to recover access to primary care, the NHS published a plan earlier this year, which includes upgrading telephone systems to make it easier for people to contact their general practice while more than 31,000 additional staff have joined GP teams since 2019 to deliver even more appointments.”
