The 2024 GP Patient Survey has revealed the Bolton surgeries where patients are able to get appointments when they want them.

For those who like a same-day appointment, St Helens Road Practice (Garnet Fold Practice) came in the borough's top position, with 59 per cent of the practice’s patients saying their most recent appointment had been on the same day as when they contacted their practice.

The practice's automated phone system says they are not able to process pre-booked appointments, only offering same-day appointments and asking people to call before 10am.

Dr G Ghaie said: “We at Garnet Fold Practice have been working hard to improve patient access.

“Our patients can use multiple platforms such as telephone, online consult and email to gain access to the services. 

“It is extremely rewarding to hear that our efforts have been appreciated. Despite the limited resources in this current financial climate, we will remain committed to improve patient care by listening to our patients.”

Of all practices in the borough, the average figure for patients who said they got their last appointment on the same day as they requested it was 29 per cent.

On the other end of the spectrum was Fig Tree Medical Practice, with just 12 per cent of the practice’s appointments occurring on the same day.

Fig Tree Medical Practice was contacted for comment.

Wyresdale Road Surgery, Stonehill Medical Centre, and Crompton View Surgery, also had low proportions of same-day appointments, with just 14, 16, and 16 per cent of patients saying they were given a same-day appointment, respectively.

Some patients waiting more than two weeks for appointment

Patients at the Mandalay Medical Centre were the most likely to say they had to wait more than two weeks for an appointment after contacting their GP practice, at 35 per cent of patients.

Mandalay Medical Centre was contacted for comment.

No patients at Dr Zarrouk & Partners' Bradford Street Surgery – the GP with the highest satisfaction score –  said they had to wait more than two weeks, the only such practice in Bolton.

The surgery also had the largest number of patients who said they were able to see a GP on the next day, at 23 per cent.

Across practices, an average of 31 per cent of Bolton patients were waiting more than a week for an appointment, with 57 per cent of patients at Mandalay Medical Centre and 54 per cent of patients at Stonehill Medical Centre reporting more than a week’s wait.

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Patients not given a choice over appointment times

When it comes to a choice over day or time, a total of 85 per cent of patients at Dr Zarrouk & Partners' Bradford Street Surgery and Crompton View Surgery said they were given a choice of the time or day for their most recent appointment.

Across all practices in the borough, an average of 59 per cent of respondents said they were offered a choice of time or day.

On the other end, just 37 per cent of those at Bolton Medical Centre said they were given an option over day or time of appointment.

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Appointments not carried out in person

For 45 of the 49 Bolton GP practices, more than half of patients said their last appointment had been face-to-face at their GP practice.

However, for Wyresdale Road Surgery, Deane Medical Centre, Octagon Medical Centre, and Dr Zarrouk & Partners' Bradford Street Surgery, this fell to half or below – with many appointments now being given over the phone.

Bromley Meadows Surgery had the highest proportion of face-to-face appointments at the GP practice, with 87 per cent of respondents saying their last appointment had been held this way.

Bromley Meadows Surgery's Dr Clare Peddie said: “We are delighted with the results of the patient survey and the fact we have been able to deliver so many face-to-face appointments for our patients.

“At a time of such great pressure on the NHS and primary care services, our teams have been working exceptionally hard and we are pleased this is reflected in the survey results.

“We are aware however that there is still room for improvement.

“We have recruited two new GPs to our workforce and with the continued efforts from all of the practice team, we strive to continue to achieve and improve access for our patients.”

Appointments not carried out by a GP

Whether you actually saw a qualified GP or not also differed massively depending on the practice.

Just 30 per cent of patients at Deane Clinic were able to see a GP, with more than half (54 per cent) saying they had seen a nurse at their last appointment and a further 11 per cent saying they had seen another healthcare professional.

Just 45 per cent of patients at Edgworth Medical Centre said their last appointment had been with a GP, and half of patients at Harwood Medical Centre said the same.

Al-Fal Medical Group, in Pikes Lane Health Centre on Deane Road, had the highest level of GP appointments, with 84 per cent of appointments carried out by a GP.

A further seven per cent were carried out by a nurse, while another six per cent were carried out by another healthcare professional, according to patients surveyed.

Across the borough's practices, an average of 66 per cent of respondents said their last appointment had been with a GP.

If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of Bolton. Please get in touch at jack.fifield@newsquest.co.uk.