Patients struggle to get access to their GP due to various reasons, including difficulty in contacting the GP practice, limited appointment availability, high healthcare costs, transportation barriers, and personal factors. According to the GP Patient Survey, the proportion of patients finding it difficult to contact their GP practice by phone has increased, with only 50% finding it "very easy" in 2023, down from 81% in 2012. The proportion of patients who found it "not at all easy" to get through to someone at their GP practice on the phone has also increased.

Additionally, limited appointment availability and office hours can pose challenges for patients, especially for working adults or parents.

Transportation barriers, such as the inability to drive or facing financial constraints, can also hinder patients from seeing their clinicians.

Personal factors, including low trust in doctors, perceived severity of symptoms, emotional factors, and concerns about the quality of medical care, can further contribute to difficulties in accessing healthcare services.

These challenges highlight the need for comprehensive strategies to improve patient access to primary care services. The NHS has been working on initiatives to address these issues, such as providing more convenient access to GP appointments at evenings and weekends, boosting GP numbers, and modernising primary care premises.

How does the lack of access to GPs affect patient outcomes

The lack of access to GPs can significantly affect patient outcomes. Patients may struggle to book appointments and access treatment, leading to difficulties in managing their conditions and potentially exacerbating health problems. The increased pressure on unscheduled care settings and inappropriate attendance at emergency departments can result from the inability to see a GP, impacting the overall healthcare system.

Furthermore, the current lack of GPs and funding into general practice has implications for realising continuity of care, as workload pressures and workforce shortages impede GPs' ability to develop relationships with patients over time. The GP crisis, characterised by alarming numbers of GPs looking to leave the profession, reduce their hours, or stop seeing patients, has also contributed to the strain on patient access to GPs. These factors collectively impact patient care and the overall functioning of the NHS.