NHS Access Concerns: Delays and Avoidance of GP Care Rise

Almost half of the UK public is delaying or avoiding contacting their GP surgery when ill, primarily due to concerns about appointment availability. A recent survey reveals that 48% of individuals did not seek help from their family doctor – either initially or at all – when experiencing illness in the past year.

Public Concerns and Impact on Health

The survey indicates that 27% of those who delayed seeking care opted to self-manage their condition or wait for it to resolve, despite warnings from doctors that avoiding GP care can negatively impact health. These findings highlight widespread public anxiety regarding access to essential NHS services, including Accident & Emergency (A&E), GP care, hospital treatment and ambulance services.

Survey Findings and Expert Opinions

The data emerged from a survey conducted by Ipsos for the Health Foundation thinktank. Key findings include:

• Three in ten respondents did not anticipate being offered a GP appointment at a convenient time.
• 17% believed contacting their GP practice would be difficult.

Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, chair of the Royal College of GPs, expressed concern, stating, “General practice is the front door of the health service, and all patients should be able to observe their GP when they need to. So it is worrying to hear that some might be delaying or avoiding seeking care because they think getting an appointment will be difficult.”

A&E Concerns and Public Trust

Separate polling by Savanta, conducted for the Liberal Democrats, revealed that a third of Britons have avoided A&E in the past two years despite needing treatment, anticipating lengthy wait times. Helen Maguire, a Liberal Democrat health spokesperson, commented, “Patients deserve so much better. It is heartbreaking to think of elderly people or parents with sick children sitting at home in pain because they have lost faith that the system will be there for them.”

Impact on NHS Policy and Future Plans

The Health Foundation suggests these findings should raise “alarm bells” regarding the government’s plan to shift healthcare from hospitals to community settings, a key component of the 10-year plan for transforming the NHS in England. The thinktank argues that persistent public concerns about general practice and A&E access may necessitate a reassessment of policy priorities.

Public Perception of the NHS

An Ipsos survey of 2,214 adults in December uncovered widespread pessimism about the state of the NHS, revealing that:

• Faster access to GPs and A&E is the public’s top priority for the NHS.
• Only 32% believe the NHS provides a good service nationally.
• 42% believe the standard of NHS care has worsened in the past year, while only 12% believe it has improved.
• 47% fear further decline in NHS care over the next year, with only 15% expecting improvement.

Government Response and GP Contract Changes

Only 15% of the public believe their national government is pursuing the right policies to improve the health service, while 54% disagree. These findings coincide with the publication of the new GP contract by Wes Streeting, the health secretary in England, outlining care provisions for 2025-26.

The new contract mandates that GP practices provide same-day appointments for patients with urgent medical needs and reallocates £300 million to enable surgeries to hire an additional 1,600 doctors. However, Dr. Katie Bramall, chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, expressed concerns about “unrealistic expectations” and potential barriers to specialist referrals, particularly in the context of ongoing surgery closures.

Dr. Bramall also criticized the health secretary for not negotiating the contract with the BMA, a practice that has been standard for many years. The decision to consult with other GP and patient bodies followed disagreements regarding patient access to GPs online during working hours.