THOUSANDS of patients in Oxfordshire have praised services at their local GP practice despite the extraordinary pressures being faced in primary care.

A total of 8,157 people took part in this year’s GP Patient Survey, a huge annual exercise carried out for NHS England to find out how patients feel about local services.

Of these 7,673 said their overall experience of seeing their GP at their last appointment was good or very good, with two surgeries - Cropredy and Berinsfield - receiving the thumbs-up from 99 per cent of patients.

But at the other end of the spectrum, Horsefair Surgery in Banbury fared the worst, with only 70 per cent of patients surveyed saying they had a good experience. 

And Botley Medical Centre on Elms Road came in second from bottom, with a 72 per cent satisfaction rate.

Two surgeries that received the lowest rating last year, the Leys Health Centre in Oxford, West Bar Surgery in Banbury, had both received a higher proportion of good or very good ratings - from 67 to 82 per cent, and 73 to 74 per cent.

Dr Joe McManners, a GP at Manor Surgery in Headington and chair of Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said the results of the annual survey were taken ‘very seriously’ across the sector.

He said: “You tend to hear about the bad experiences but feedback from patients on their general experience is pretty good.

“We are lucky in Oxfordshire to have high-quality GPs and nurses, and what we hear is that people are very pleased.”

A majority of respondents, some 7.695 people, said they were able to get an appointment the last time they wanted one.

More than half - a total of 5,323 people - had been seen either on the same day or within ‘a few days’, despite concerns raised across Oxfordshire over the past year that a some patients are waiting up to several weeks to see a GP.

But at the same time, just 65 per cent were usually able to see their preferred GP.

Dr McManners said: “In an ideal world everybody would see their doctor every time.

“The more health problems you have, the more important it is to see the same health professional on a continual basis.

“But it’s often a choice between getting to see someone quickly and waiting for a longer time to see your normal GP.”

Across the board more than half of Oxfordshire’s respondents said their local primary care services were very good.

Tim Gardner, senior policy fellow at national charity The Health Foundation, said: “’Given the pressures that GPs are under, it is encouraging that the vast majority of people continue to report a good overall experience of their GP surgery.

“’However, it is concerning that the number of people able to see their preferred GP has fallen.”

But Dr Prit Buttar, a former Abingdon GP and chairman of the Oxfordshire Local Medical Committee, said the results of the survey were ‘arbitrary’ and should be taken with a hefty pinch of salt.

He said: “I think the figures are largely meaningless and don’t really tell you a great deal about the average person’s experience.

“People who are really enthusiastic about their practice will be positive.”

He added: “Oxfordshire has done very well because historically it has had outstanding general practice.

“A service that’s more flaky is going to show the signs of stress first. Places like Oxfordshire are buffered by the fact that we have done well in the past.

“In Oxfordshire people have upped their game because they needed to, but you’re living beyond your means.”

The top 10 ranked CCG practices are:

  • Cropredy Surgery
  • Berinsfield Health Centre
  • 9 King Edward Street
  • Sibford Surgery 
  • Clifton Hampden Surgery 
  • Nettlebed Surgery 
  • South Oxford Health Centre
  • Mill Stream Surgery 
  • Church Street Practice 
  • The Hart Surgery 

The bottom 10 ranked CCG practices are:

  • The Charlbury Medical Centre
  • The Key Medical Practice 
  • Marston Medical Centre
  • Newbury Street Practice 
  • Temple Cowley Health Centre 
  • Didcot Health Centre Practice 
  • Alchester Medical Group 
  • West Bar Surgery 
  • Botley Medical Centre 
  • Horsefair Surgery