South Yorkshire has 'sixth longest GP appointment wait times'

Appointment waits are sixth longest in South Yorkshire, according to research - photo by Pixabay

The research by personal injury expert Claims.co.uk analysed NHS data from England’s 42 Integrated Care Boards for GP appointments from July 2021 to December 2023.

The study identified the ICBs with the longest wait times based on the percentage which took more than 22 days.

NHS South Yorkshire was ranked sixth with 689,946 appointments taking over 22 days to occur.

The figure translates into 7.3 per cent of all of the total of 9,441,418 appointments.

NHS Gloucestershire topped the list with 12.29 per cent of all appointments taking longer than 22 days.

On the other end of the list, NHS North East London registered the fewest amount of appointments which were longer than 22 days – at a quarter of NHS Gloucestershire's figure of just three per cent.

A spokesperson for Claims.co.uk said of the findings: "Reports indicating extensive wait times for GP appointments in regions like Gloucestershire, Dorset, and Norfolk and Waveney are troubling.

“These prolonged waits not only inconvenience patients but also pose potential risks to their health outcomes.

“Timely access to primary healthcare services is essential for early intervention and prevention of health issues.

“Addressing the underlying factors contributing to these lengthy waits, whether they stem from resource shortages, system inefficiencies, or other challenges, is imperative to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all individuals in these areas."

A spokesperson for NHS South Yorkshire ICB said: “South Yorkshire GPs, as in the rest of the country, have faced unprecedented increases in demand over the last few years which has increased pressure on many practices.

“Practices prioritise their appointments based on their assessment of clinical need which means that those who need an appointment are offered one as soon as possible and will be seen urgently if needed.

“NHS South Yorkshire has been working on a number of initiatives with other primary care health professionals to improve patient access to ensure GPs can focus their time on seeing patients with long-term conditions and urgent health needs.”