A recent analysis of GP surgeries in Somerset has revealed significant differences in waiting times for appointments, highlighting varying patient experiences across the region.

The data for May shows that one in eight GP appointments in the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board area took place more than three weeks after being booked.

There were a total of 312,065 GP appointments in the Somerset area during May. Of these, more than three quarters (66.9%) occurred within a week of booking, including 43.2% on the same day. However, 12.2% of appointments took place more than three weeks after booking, higher than the national average of 9.8%.

Focusing on Wells, the data highlights the differences in waiting times for local GP surgeries:

• Wells City Practice: 17.4% of appointments took place over 21 days after booking, while 44.6% were on the same day. Patients typically wait between 2 to 7 days for an appointment.
• Wells Health Centre: 11.8% of appointments occurred over 21 days after booking, with 46.9% on the same day. Usual wait times range from 2 to 7 days.

Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care at NHS England, commented on the broader context: "Millions more appointments are being delivered every month compared to before the pandemic thanks to GP teams. Every GP practice is upgrading their telephone systems to make it easier for patients to contact their surgery, while patients can use the NHS app to order repeat prescriptions and view their test results without needing to contact their family doctor."

Nationally, 30.4 million appointments were offered at GP surgeries across England in May. Of these, 69.2% were within a week of booking, including 44.3% on the same day.

However, 3.0 million appointments, nearly 10%, took place more than three weeks after booking.