Somerset GP surgery appointments boosted by 25% since 2019

The practice has three sites and 14,000 patients registered

GP surgeries completed 25% more appointments last year compared to 2019, according to NHS Somerset.

The majority of appointments were with practice staff other than doctors, including paramedics, nurses and physiotherapists.

It said 42% of appointments took place on the same day.

NHS Somerset said every practice offers face-to-face appointments along with telephone and online consultations, 62% of appointments were face-to-face.

In 2023, Somerset GP practices delivered 3,600,868 appointments, an increase of 25% from 2019.

More than half of appointments were with either a nurse, physiotherapist, clinical pharmacist or other clinician.

Same-day service

At Taunton Vale Healthcare, some 300 people contact the practice daily and they all get some kind of response on the same day - whether it is a phone call, a text message or being brought in for an appointment.

They have three sites - two traditional surgeries and a third location which is, effectively, a call centre.

It is staffed by GPs along with nurses, paramedics and other health professionals.

Anyone who contacts the practice is added to one big list and the team work through the whole list each day.

Dr Tim Norbury is a GP partner at Taunton Vale Healthcare and said they have been running this model for a number of years now.

"People often ring in and say 'I need to see my GP' when what they really mean is 'I've got a healthcare problem and I need to see someone about it'," said Dr Norbury.

"Can that problem be dealt with safely and effectively on the phone or does that patient then need to do something else?

"That might be a video consultation, submit a photo, or come down for a face-to-face appointment and then we can book that and they can come down on the same day," he said.

Dr Tim Norbury is a GP partner at Taunton Vale Healthcare

No one is left waiting weeks to see a GP "that's quite an old model, more and more surgeries are moving to this telephone triage-first system," said Dr Norbury.

"Anyone can still come and see their GP, but we find once they've done that we can explain to them the other person who might have helped them a bit better - and sooner - next time.

"The notion that you have to see the same GP for everything for ever is not a sustainable model and it's not the best thing for the patient - if you've had a chronic condition but then get a problem with your knee that doesn't mean it has to be the GP to look after that.

"We get good feedback from our patients and it's really nice helping people."

Bernie Marden, chief medical officer at NHS Somerset, said: "GP teams are working exceptionally hard, carrying out record numbers of appointments for patients.

"GP surgeries are now offering more appointments than ever before with a variety of health professionals such as pharmacists, physiotherapists, and mental health professionals to provide the support that best meets the needs of the patient.

"I understand how important it is for people to receive the right care and timely support in a way that suits their needs, and I would thank patients for treating staff with respect."