CHESHIRE health bosses are pleased with results from the GP Patient Survey ‘in view of the challenges of the past 12 months’, despite most practices’ overall approval ratings dropping since 2021.

The GP Patient Survey 2022 measured patients’ experiences across a range of topics, including making an appointment, trust in doctors and overall experience.

Out of 21 surgeries across Northwich, Winsford, Middlewich, Knutsford and surrounding areas, almost all dropped in their overall experience scores – the most by 23 per cent.

One practice’s score remained the same, and just one increased by two per cent.

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READ > Winsford and Middlewich's best rated GP surgeries revealed 

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The national approval rating average across England for 2022 is 72 per cent – a considerable fall from 83 per cent last year, showing issues facing the health sector as a whole.

A spokesperson for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside said 74 per cent of respondents across Cheshire and Merseyside rated their overall experience of their GP practice either very good or fairly good.

While this is a 10 per cent decrease on the comparable finding for 2021, it is ‘nevertheless two per cent above the national average’.

The spokesperson continued: “In view of the challenges facing general practice in the last 12 months, it is good that three quarters of patients continue to rate their experience highly.

“The Covid-19 pandemic not only resulted in many members of staff having to self-isolate but also placed significant new demands on the many practices playing a pivotal role in delivering the largest vaccination programme the nation has ever seen.

“In 2021 and 2022, general practice across the sub-region embraced new ways of working to ensure that patients continued to receive the care they needed against the backdrop of COVID-19.

“The use of technology allowed more patients than ever before to be seen virtually while online triage forms enabled a no-risk acceleration of assessment processes."

The spokesperson added that face-to-face appointments 'remained available for everyone who needed them' and in Cheshire alone, GPs conducted 167,000 face-to-face appointments every month in 2021.

“To increase capacity and offer a holistic service, general practice has invested in a wide range of roles including physician associate, nurse practitioner and social prescriber," they added.

“NHS Cheshire and Merseyside is committed to working with general practice to provide the best possible care and to replicate the many examples of best practice across the sub-region.”