Independent research findings have confirmed that primary care trust access surveys are a true reflection of GP availability.
Each month PCTs call GP practices to conduct a Primary Care Access Survey (PCAS), to collect information on appointment availability with GPs and nurses. Practices are also asked about any other arrangements in place for face-to-face consultations, such as open surgeries, NHS Walk-in Centres or fast-access clinics.
The November PCAS survey showed 93.7 per cent of patients could be seen by a GP within two working days or 93.6 per cent by a primary care professional within one day. By December this year the Government wants all patients to be offered this level of service.
Department of Health primary care access team policy development manager Catherine Davies said: "We wanted to make sure that PCAS is a reflection of patient experience and that the survey is asking the right questions."
MORI researchers were commissioned to call 1,000 randomly-selected practices across England over two days in December to find out how quickly they could get an appointment with a doctor and, if not within targets, whether they could be seen without an appointment.
Initial findings show that 93.3 per cent of the callers were offered an appointment with a GP within the access target. The other findings are still being analysed.
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