THREE out of 11 GP surgeries in the Eastbourne area offered same-day appointments to 75% of patients who requested them, according to new Government figures.
But five practices only offer the same-day service to around 50% of patients who ask for one.
The data shows the time between booking and “all appointment modes”, which include face-to-face and telephone, according to an NHS Digital spokesperson.
The top surgery is Sovereign Practice within Princes Park Health Centre, Wartling Road, below left, which gave same-day appointments to 76% of patients who contacted them in October.
The next two are Manor Park Medical Centre in High Street, Polegate, (75%) and the Victoria Medical Centre in Green Street, Old Town, below right (74%).
Five practices, all operated by the ALPS Primary Care Network (PCN), offer the lowest percentage of same-day appointment to patients who ask.
They are: the Lighthouse Medical Practice with surgeries in College Road and in Milfoil Drive, Shinewater; Seaside Medical Centre, Sheen Road; Arlington Road Surgery; Park Practice in Broadwater Way, Hampden Park; and Grove Road Surgery.
Nearly 40% of patients who want an appointment at Park Practice have to wait between eight and 28 days to speak to a doctor.
| Surgery name | Primary Care Network | Same Day | % | 1 day | 2 to 7 days | % | 8 to 14 days | 15 to 21 days | 22 to 28 days | More than 28 days | % | Total |
| SOVEREIGN PRACTICE | EASTBOURNE EAST PCN | 2,750 | 76 | 288 | 410 | 19 | 117 | 45 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 3,624 |
| MANOR PARK MEDICAL CENTRE | VICTORIA EASTBOURNE PCN | 942 | 75 | 41 | 94 | 11 | 49 | 65 | 52 | 13 | 14 | 1,256 |
| VICTORIA MEDICAL CENTRE | VICTORIA EASTBOURNE PCN | 3,559 | 74 | 261 | 570 | 17 | 215 | 135 | 44 | 45 | 9 | 4,829 |
| STONE CROSS SURGERY | EASTBOURNE EAST PCN | 2,140 | 69 | 143 | 505 | 21 | 273 | 34 | 6 | 0 | 22 | 3,101 |
| HARBOUR MEDICAL PRACTICE | EASTBOURNE EAST PCN | 864 | 66 | 129 | 267 | 30 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 4 | 1,317 |
| DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE | VICTORIA EASTBOURNE PCN | 2,060 | 59 | 288 | 457 | 21 | 168 | 101 | 110 | 327 | 20 | 3,511 |
| THE LIGHTHOUSE MEDICAL PRACTICE | ALPS GROUP PCN | 2,955 | 57 | 382 | 686 | 21 | 766 | 322 | 46 | 0 | 22 | 5,157 |
| SEASIDE MEDICAL CENTRE | ALPS GROUP PCN | 2,367 | 52 | 513 | 1,012 | 34 | 261 | 124 | 145 | 113 | 14 | 4,535 |
| ARLINGTON ROAD SURGERY | ALPS GROUP PCN | 2,092 | 51 | 286 | 623 | 22 | 515 | 376 | 193 | 40 | 27 | 4,125 |
| PARK PRACTICE | ALPS GROUP PCN | 1,807 | 50 | 112 | 379 | 14 | 242 | 291 | 178 | 612 | 37 | 3,621 |
| GROVE ROAD SURGERY | ALPS GROUP PCN | 357 | 44 | 102 | 214 | 39 | 102 | 22 | 10 | 4 | 17 | 811 |
We have approached the APLS PCN for a comment.
The Government says the data, showing detailed appointment waiting times for the first time, will enable patients to make more informed choices about the GP practice they choose.
The statistics, which cover all GP practices across England, are published to inform patients how many appointments each practice is filling and on the length of time taken from booking an appointment to the session itself.
This, the Government says, will improve transparency about performance and give patients more information.
Health and social care secretary Steve Barclay, above, said: “We promised to prioritise patients and improve access and that is exactly what we have done – and this is just the start.
“I am determined to make it easier for people to get an appointment with their GP practice when they need one and this will allow patients to make a more informed choice about the care they receive.”
The Autumn Statement reaffirmed that all those who need an appointment can get one within two weeks, with urgent appointments on the same day.
The Government says this will include offering one million additional appointments and providing an additional 31,000 phone lines to help people avoid the 8am rush for appointments as new digital tools improve IT systems and ease administrative burdens.
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Same day appointments? Are these face to face, video call or call back? The phone systems are enough to give you angina waiting for a reply.
It’s okay saying 75% but are these life changing conditions or just appointments in general?
You can show anything with statistics so they say.
Thank you for taking the time to comment. While I was writing this, I asked NHS Digital whether these were all face-to-face appointments. They have just replied to say it is “all appointment modes”, including face-to-face and telephone. The story has been updated to reflect this.