The least accessible North East GP surgeries revealed in league table on new Government app - Chronicle Live

The North East GP practices offering the lowest number of appointments have been revealed in new Government data.

The new statistics, which cover all practices across England, are an attempt to improve transparency so that patients can see how their practice compares to others. They will be released monthly.

The information is published on the NHS Digital website and aims to help patients make "more informed choices" about the GP surgery they choose and "improve transparency about performance", the Government said.

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Across the country as a whole, just 73.4% of GP appointments took place face-to-face in October.

At the worst performing practices, however, just 12.0% of appointments were face-to-face.

Oakfields Health Group, in Newcastle, currently offers the lowest number of face-to-face appointments in the North East at 47.8%, followed by Albert Road Surgery, Jarrow, (49.8%) and Pease Way Medical Centre, Newton Aycliffe (51.3%).

North East practices with the 10 lowest percentages of face-to-face appointments

Practice: Percentage of appointments face-to-face

• Oakfields Health Group: 47.8%
• Albert Road Surgery: 49.8%
• Pease Way Medical Centre: 51.3%
• Marine Avenue Medical Centre: 51.6%
• Nelson Medical Group: 52.3%
• Southdene Medical Centre: 52.8%
• Burn Brae Medical Group: 53%
• Farnham Medical Centre: 54.1%
• St George's Medical Practice: 54.3%
• The Headland Medical Centre: 54.7%

Only 38.9% of appointments were on the same day in England last month, with at least two practices saw no patients the same day. However, the average wait for an appointment in England was between two and seven days according to the data.

There were 13 practices though where the typical wait was 15 to 21 days.

In the North East Blaydon GP Led Practice: 8.3%; Rickleton Medical Centre: 11.6%; and Avenue Medical Practice: 13.8%, had the lowest percentages for same day appointments.

North East Practices with the 10 lowest percentages for same day appointments:

• Blaydon GP Led Practice: 8.3%
• Rickleton Medical Centre: 11.6%
• Avenue Medical Practice: 13.8%
• Dr Rassol: 15.2%
• Newburn Surgery: 16.2%
• Rowlands Gill Medical Centre: 17.1%
• Brotton Surgery: 17.5%
• The Patel Practice: 18.5%
• Chester Surgery: 19.3%
• Drs Lambert and NG: 19.9%

Fewer than half of appointments at practices in England were actually with GPs according to the data, 45.8%.

In the North East Wingate Medical Practice Intrahealth: 12.4%; Foundations: 14.8%; and Wenlock Road Surgery: 16%, had the lowest percentages of appointments with a GP.

North East Practices with 10 lowest percentages of appointments with a GP:

• Wingate Medical Practice Intrahealth: 12.4%
• Foundations: 14.8%
• Wenlock Road Surgery: 16%
• The arrival practice: 16.7%
• The Surgery-Osborne Road: 18.4%
• Riverside Medical Practice: 19.1%
• McKenzie House Surgery: 19.8%
• Grange Road Medical Practice: 20.3%
• Guidepost Medical Group: 21.2%
• Middle Chare Medical Group: 21.3%

But concerns have been raised about the data being used to compare practices against each other without accounting for different patient characteristics.

For instance, a seaside town with an elderly population may have surgeries which offer fewer appointments than city centre practices catering for a younger population.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “We promised to prioritise patients and improve access and that is exactly what we have done – and this is just the start.

“I am determined to make it easier for people to get an appointment with their GP practice when they need one and this will allow patients to make a more informed choice about the care they receive.”

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), said: “We have serious concerns about how the publication of practice-level data will be used to compare practices against each other as with general practice you’re rarely comparing like with like.

"What works in one practice may not in another, so they will tailor their services to their patient population.

“We worry that this data will be used to create arbitrary ‘league tables’ that don’t account for different patient demographics and ways of working and those that appear at the bottom will face undue criticism at a time when the profession is already demoralised and working under intense pressures.

"We also understand that the data published on Thursday will be experimental, so it’s unclear how comprehensive or useful it will be.”

You can see your practice’s performance using our gadget.

Simply enter the practice name and see its statistics and how they compare to the national averages.

To try it visit here

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