PATIENTS of GP practices in the Downend area are waiting longer than last year for appointments, the latest NHS survey has found.
More than 700,000 patients across the country responded when asked for their experiences of booking and attending appointments at their local surgery, including 100 from Downend Health Group, which runs Christchurch Family Medical Centre and the Willow Surgery, and 125 from Leap Valley Medical Centre.
While nine out of ten patients at each practice said they had confidence in the professionals they saw, the numbers being offered same-day appointments fell across the board.
At Downend Health Group, same-day appointments were offered to 9% of patients – down from 17% last year and against a national average of 28%. Another 11% were seen the next day and 49% waited a week or more (up from 42%). Others were either seen within a week or couldn’t remember how long they waited.
Nationally, 34% of patients waited a week or longer.
Overall 28% of Downend patients were offered a choice of time or day – up from 22% in 2024 but against a national average of 54% – with 39% saying they waited too long (down from 51%).
At Leap Valley, 70% of patients had to wait a week or more, up from 53% last year, and 57% felt they waited too long. Only 4% were seen on the same day (down from 19%) and 10% the next day, with 29% of patients offered a choice of time or day (down from 51%).
Leap Valley’s sister practice, Emersons Green Medical Centre, has been closed since October last year, with consultations happening at Leap Valley, which is run by the same practice.
Patients continued to report problems getting in touch with surgeries, particularly on the phone, although the numbers who found it easy are rising.
At Downend Health Group, 18% of patients found it easy to contact the practice on the phone – up from 6% in 2024 but against a national average of 53%. The number finding it easy to get in touch online was up from 19% to 45%, with 56% of patients saying they found using the mobile app easy (up from 23%).
At Leap Valley Medical Centre, 15% found it easy to get through by phone – up from 14% last year – and 29% found it easy to contact the surgery online (down from 33%), while 33% said it was easy to use the app (up from 24%).
Overall, 68% of Downend Health Group patients said their experience of the practice was good – up from 54% but below the national average of 75%.
At Leap Valley the proportion was unchanged on last year, at 51%.
A spokesperson for the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, which is in charge of funding surgeries, said: “We welcome this valuable feedback on local GP services and it is encouraging to see that results are in line with national averages.
“As in previous years we will continue to use the survey data, alongside other information, to help us identify practices that may need additional support, working with them to improve their resilience and services to patients.”