The results of this year’s national GP Patient Survey (GPPS) show high overall levels of patient satisfaction (80%) with Gloucestershire GP practices – well above the national (England) average of 75%.

The annual survey assesses patients’ experiences of healthcare services provided by GP practices across a range of topics, from confidence and trust in healthcare professionals, satisfaction with levels of care to ease of making appointments, how requests were dealt with and suitability of appointment times.

Results are presented at GP practice, Primary Care Network (PCN), Integrated Care System (ICS) and national level. In the One Gloucestershire ICS (county) area, 20,809 questionnaires were sent out and 7,664 were returned completed, representing a response rate of 37%.

The results show that confidence and trust in the county’s GP practice teams remains high at 94%, with 89% of patients reporting that they felt listened to at their appointment and 93% reporting that they felt involved in decisions about their care and treatment. 88% of patients were happy that they were treated with care and concern.

Dr Ananthakrishnan Raghuram MBE, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Gloucestershire, said:

“We welcome these results which show that patients’ overall experience with Gloucestershire GP practices is positive, above the national average and amongst the highest in the South West.

This is testament to the commitment of GP surgery teams across the county who have been working incredibly hard to provide the best possible care under great pressure.

GP surgeries have faced a record increase in requests from patients whilst many have experienced staffing and financial pressures. They deserve huge recognition for their dedication to patient care and their work to embrace innovative practices and local partnerships.

Given the extent of the challenges in primary care, we believe GP practices should be commended for maintaining such high standards overall across a range of survey themes.

However, we are not complacent as we know that not all patients report a positive experience. There is some variability for patients across the county accessing appointments and some patients have had to wait longer than any of us would like for non-urgent appointments.

NHS Gloucestershire recognises the need to work with all partners – locally and nationally – to continue to tackle the underlying pressures on GP practices and their teams.”

Helen Goodey, Director of Primary Care and Place at NHS Gloucestershire said:

“There are many challenges in primary care and the pressure is unrelenting. We are pleased that the continued focus on improving access and patient experience is reflected in the survey results, but more needs to be done at every level to support the sustainability of general practice and provide a more secure future.”

Dr Bob Hodges, Chair of Gloucestershire Local Medical Committee (LMC), said:

“These results are a reflection of the extraordinary efforts of our GP practice teams, who continue to deliver high-quality care in the face of significant pressures and finite resources.

GP practices in Gloucestershire are delivering over 25% more appointments compared to before the pandemic, which is much higher than the funding available. This reflects the dedication and focus of our practice teams who go above and beyond to meet the needs of their patients.

We remain committed to working in partnership with NHS Gloucestershire and others to ensure practices are supported to meet the evolving needs of our communities.”

NHS Gloucestershire is continuing to progress its long-term GP premises development and delivery plan to improve the patient experience. Five fully approved schemes are in progress and a further three schemes have funding committed. The estimated total capital value of these projects is around £53m and they will serve a population of approximately 117,000 patients across the county.

Dentistry

This year’s survey also asked patients about their experiences with pharmacies and NHS dentists.

NHS Gloucestershire recognises that overall patient experiences of NHS dental services falls below the national average in the county. However, there has been a significant improvement over the last twelve months, with the percentage of people reporting a good experience of dental care increasing from 58% to 66%.

Improving access to NHS dentistry is a key priority for NHS Gloucestershire and its partners, and we are determined to continue the progress we have already made for residents.

We are actively working with local dentists, with help from patient representatives, to bring more services on board.

Good progress has been made to ensure that anyone who does not have a dentist can access an urgent dental appointment. There are currently around 60 urgent care appointments available each week at clinics across the county, including weeknight and weekend clinics, and we are continuing to increase this number. Patients can access these appointments by contacting NHS 111.

Around 230 appointments to support patients by stabilising their dental care needs are now provided on average each week across the county, meaning that patients should not need to travel too far. These sessions may include a full-examination and follow-up dental treatment to support someone’s oral health. Patients without a dentist should call NHS 111 to access these appointments.

We are working hard to increase the number of appointments being provided for patients and are holding regular meetings with dental practices to review their activity and understand the challenges they are facing.

In the last year we have increased the value of each dental intervention (Units of Dental Activity). In Gloucestershire, we went beyond the national minimum of £28 to £30 for dental practices that achieved their contracted terms and those achieving a certain percentage of their contract and who agreed an increase in dental activity. This is in line with the average rate across the South West.

Additional information

The full 2025 GP Patient Survey results can be found at: https://gp-patient.co.uk/surveysandreports

Healthwatch Gloucestershire, NHS Gloucestershire and the Local Medical Committee have collaborated on an information booklet, ‘Top tips for accessing your GP practice’, which was developed in response to feedback in the 2024 GP Patient Survey results and project focused on accessing GP services carried out by Healthwatch Gloucestershire. It contains information on the different types of staff roles and services people may access at their GP surgery, along with other helpful tips and advice. Read the booklet: https://www.healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk/report/2024-02-28/accessing-gp-services-gloucestershire

Pharmacy – Overall patient experience of pharmacy services is also very positive and in line with the national average at 88%. Read more about how the Pharmacy First service is helping people to access easy and convenient expert advice for minor health conditions here.