Patient satisfaction with GP services in south Essex has dropped to its lowest ever level, new figures show.

Each spring, NHS England and market research company Ipsos Mori survey patients across England on how they feel about their local GP services.

The survey results were weighted and rebalanced to account for differences in age, gender, and other demographic factors between areas.

Between January and April more than 700,000 people responded.

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How patients felt in Southend

A total of 2,218 patients responded to the survey in the NHS Southend CCG area.

The results show 66 per cent of people in the area would describe their GP experience as ‘good’ – down from 81 per cent in spring 2021, and the lowest in any year since 2018, when comparable data is first available.

The survey further found that 40 per cent of people with long-term health conditions do not feel they have had enough support from local services – up from 29.9 per cent last year.

The results also show 16.7 per cent of respondents in Southend had avoided booking a necessary GP appointment because they did not want to burden the NHS, and 10.8 per cent because they did not want to risk catching Covid-19.

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The results in Basildon and Brentwood

A total of 3,276 patients in the NHS Basildon and Brentwood CCG area responded.

The results show 66 per cent of people would describe their GP experience as ‘good’ – down from 79.5 per cent in spring 2021, and the lowest in any year since 2018.

The survey further found that 36.9 per cent of people with long-term health conditions do not feel they have had enough support from local services – up from 30.1 per cent last year.

The results also show 13.9 per cent of respondents in Basildon and Brentwood had avoided booking a necessary GP appointment because they did not want to burden the NHS, and 9.5 per cent because they did not want to risk catching Covid-19.

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Satisfaction with GPs in Castle Point and Rochford

A total of 2,216 patients in the NHS Castle Point and Rochford CCG area responded to the survey.

The results show 66.5 per cent of respondents would describe their GP experience as ‘good’ – down from 79.5 per cent in spring 2021.

The survey further found that 39.4 per cent of people with long-term health conditions do not feel they have had enough support from local services – up from 26.4 per cent last year.

It also shows 13.8 per cent avoided booking a necessary GP appointment because they did not want to burden the NHS, and 8.9 per cent because they did not want to risk catching Covid-19.

What the NHS says

An NHS spokesman said the NHS is “determined to make it easier to get an appointment, which is why the health service has invested record amounts in primary care, including offering a new telephone service which increases the number of phone lines practices have for patients".

She said practices are open and encouraged people to come forward with any worrying symptoms or health issues.