This year’s survey of patients attending GP surgeries in the UK has shown some surgeries are seen as more satisfactory than others.

Patients were invited to complete a survey asking them several questions about their surgery.

These asked patients: how easy it is to get through on the phone; how helpful receptionists are; how easy it is to use their website; how they experienced making an appointment; how satisfied they were with appointment times; how often patients see or speak to their preferred GP; their overall satisfaction and; how confident they were in their healthcare professional at their last appointment.

Most surgeries in the Carlisle area that were included in the survey reported back high levels of satisfaction – all over 60 per cent.

The only one in Carlisle that had a majority response showing lack of satisfaction was Fusehill Medical Practice, which reported back a figure of 43.46 per cent.

For Fusehill, it appears their biggest flaw is the ease of getting through on the phone, which reported back a figure of 13.5 per cent.

They reported low figures in responses to every other question, ranking the lowest for every other question, except for confidence in their healthcare professional, in which they ranked second lowest to Warwick Road Surgery, with percentages of 89.02 and 82.25 respectively.

Carlisle Healthcare, on Locke Road, ranked second lowest for overall satisfaction.

However, this does not mean it was generally unsatisfactory, as it reported a figure of 62.15 per cent, indicating majority satisfaction.

Their biggest flaw, according to survey respondents, is also the ease of getting through on the phone, a common issue across the country, as it is often required to phone at 8am to make an appointment and no later.

42.89 per cent were satisfied with the experience of making an appointment, and 39.83 per cent with appointment times, at this practice.

Warwick Square Group Practice comes next with a overall satisfaction figure of 70.31 per cent.

It’s not getting through on the phone which is this surgery’s lowest figure, though, but their experience of making an appointment, which still comes in at a good 63.25 per cent.

Although, this surgery does rank second best for how helpful the receptionists are, which makes it unclear how it can be seen as difficult to make an appointment if the receptionists are reportedly the second most helpful in the city.

Longtown Medical Group reported an overall satisfaction figure of 71.67 per cent, and the highest confidence in healthcare professionals with 98.64 per cent.

Eden Medical Group on Port Road placed highly with overall satisfaction with a figure of 72.76 per cent, but reported the third worst in ease of getting through on the phone with 32.1 per cent.

Spencer Street Surgery on St Paul’s Square had the second highest satisfaction rating with 82.63 per cent, the highest in the city centre, falling fractionally behind Brampton Medical Practice with 82.75 per cent.

Commenting on the survey results, Andy Scaife, CEO of SSP Health, which overseen the running of Fusehill Medical Practice, said: “These results are from a survey which was run over 6 months ago, so are already well out of date.

“In last two quarters, we have seen patient list size growth of well above regional and national average which suggests that, since the survey, service has improved.

“Our Google ratings have also increased and are at 3.5 out of 5 which is very good for the sector. 

“Building on recent successes and improvement in ratings, we are implementing a new model in the coming months, which will include Fusehill coming into the call centre which we expect will significantly improve patient access.”