A stethoscope is pictured in a General Practitioners surgery. Photo by Carl Court/Getty ImagesA stethoscope is pictured in a General Practitioners surgery. Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images
A stethoscope is pictured in a General Practitioners surgery. Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images
New research has revealed the areas in England with the worst experience at booking a GP appointment, with Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes’ Integrated Care Board coming out on top.
The study by Vapekit analysed national GP profile data from the Department of Health and Social Care, to see which Integrated Care Boards had the lowest percentage of patients who had a good experience when contacting their GP.
It found that out of all Integrated Care Boards, Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes was the one where patients have had the worst experience of contacting their GP – with just 58.7 per cent of patients on average responding that they had a good experience.
But a spokesperson for the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board said the study relied on out of date figures.
They said: “This survey was carried out in 2024, during the period when many practices were switching over to cloud-based telephone services which should make it easier for patients to contact them.
“Our £960,000 investment means these advanced systems, which include call waiting and call-back, are now available at all practices in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, and we anticipate that patients’ experience will have improved since the research was conducted.”
They added: “We also note from the same survey that local residents are among the least likely in England to feel they had waited too long for an appointment, which is another area we have been working with our practices to address. Most practices in BLMK now offer a modern access model so most patients will know on the same day how their practice will meet their request.”
Commenting on the findings, Guy Lawler, Managing Director of Vapekit, said, “These findings highlight the significant difference in patient experiences when booking GP appointments across England.
"While Herefordshire and Worcestershire lead with 78% of patients reporting a positive experience, areas like Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes lag behind with just 58.7%.
"The stark differences reflect how variations in appointment systems, service efficiency, and patient support can greatly influence satisfaction levels, and it will be worth noting how data for the top and bottom areas changes in the coming years.”
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