GP services in Brent are ‘below average’ survey claims

Seventeen per cent of residents claim they have to wait a week for an appointment

GP services in Brent have come under fire after a survey revealed that people are getting a “below average” service for patient experience, telephone access and availability of appointments.

But following the GP Patient Survey results, the borough’s clinical commissioning group (CCG) has promised that the number of booked GP appointments will increase by 37,000 across five areas of Brent over the next six months.

Almost a quarter of residents find it difficult to speak to someone at their GP practice on the telephone.

Of those able to get an appointment, 13 per cent had to wait until the next day to see or speak to a GP or nurse while 32 per cent had to wait more than 24 hours.

Seventeen per cent claimed they had to wait more than one week.

The majority of residents would like to see their surgery open on Saturdays and after 6.30pm on weekdays.

Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala, who represents Stonebridge ward, said: “We need a service which is more responsive and alert to the needs of local patients. GP surgeries should give residents faster access by adjusting their opening hours and having surgeries open at the weekend.”

To help make opening times more convenient for patients, the CCG said surgeries will be able to access additional GP appointments from a partner practice from 3pm–8pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8am–8pm on Saturdays.

A CCG spokesman said: “The CCG has responded to the results of previous national patient surveys by working with practices to develop individual GP practice improvement plans.”