More than four per cent of Devon patients wait longer than 28 days for a GP appointment, according to new study by care experts.
The research by elderly care experts GuardianCarers.co.uk examined data on GP appointments delayed for more than 28 days from England’s 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICB).
The period covered appointments from December 2022 to May this year.
NHS Devon ranked 13th out of the 42, with 401,445 appointments being delayed for more than 28 days.
Out of a total of 9.7 million appointments, this resulted in an average of 4.13 per cent of patients.
The study revealed that NHS Gloucestershire patients waited the longest for a GP appointment in the country, with 408,968 appointments that took longer than 28 days to occur, the equivalent of 8.59 per cent of all appointments.
Read more: What are the GP waiting times for surgeries in East Devon?
Second worst was NHS Dorset with 6.88 per cent of appointments that took more than 28 days.
By contrast, NHS North Central London registered the least amount of appointments that took more than 28 days, representing only 1.16 per cent.
Commenting on the findings, Renate Winkler, MD of GuardianCarers.co.uk, said extensive wait times for GP appointments “are ultimately incredibly troubling”.
She said: “These prolonged waits not only inconvenience patients but also pose potential risks to their health outcomes.
“Timely access to primary healthcare services is absolutely essential for early intervention and, most importantly, prevention of health issues becoming more serious.
“Addressing the underlying factors contributing to these lengthy waits, whether they stem from resource shortages, system inefficiencies, government funding or other challenges, is imperative to ensure better access to healthcare for all individuals in these areas.
“With many debates on funding ongoing within the government across numerous health sectors, it will be interesting to see if any funding is granted to the NHS areas that rank highly on this list to help tackle these alarming wait times."
According to a BBC report from July last year, Honiton Surgery faced “overwhelming demand” with almost 18,000 patients, leading to challenges in meeting patient needs and increased pressure on staff.
Last year, the British Social Attitudes survey found that public satisfaction with the NHS was at its lowest ever level, revealing that only 24 per cent said they were satisfied with the health service in 2023.
The poll, which has been running since 1983, also revealed that the biggest concerns were staff shortages and waiting times.
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