The impact of long GP waiting times

How long are current GP appointment wait times?

After first contacting their GP for an appointment, over a fifth (20.8%) said they waited between a week and two weeks for their appointment.

According to the NHS England GP Patient Survey 2024, 34.1% of patients felt their wait time for a GP appointment took too long. Further to this, it was found that less than half (49.7%) of people found it easy to make an appointment over the phone.

67.8% of registered patients say the last time they contacted their GP was over the phone, however more than three quarters (75.4%) were immediately held in a queue to wait.

Why does it take so long to see a GP?

The increase in GP wait times was seemingly predicted by the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at Oxford University in 2018, as they discussed the pressures on GPs and the factors affecting patient waiting times.

They observed that patient demand had increased substantially as there were significant increases in both the numbers of consultations being requested by patients, and the lengths of the consultations. The researchers suggested at the time that the system was reaching a “saturation point”.

Alongside a higher demand for GP appointments, the complexity of these appointments also increased and continue to increase over time. GP appointments become more complex when a GP must consider pre-existing health conditions when providing a health assessment. This can include chronic health conditions such as diabetes or it can mean the complications that come with aging. As GPs must consider these, appointments take more time per person.

Overall, there are not enough GPs to match the demand of patients and appointments on average are taking more time, which constitutes longer wait times to access a GP.

What are the government doing to end long GP waiting times?

On January 6th 2025, the government announced its plan to cut down NHS wait times. Patients will be offered a wider choice of providers, and the process of booking treatments and appointments will be made as smooth as possible.

An upgraded NHS app is aimed to enable patients to choose providers, book appointments in more settings and receive test results, all in one place. However, less than 45% (44.8%) of those who tried to contact their GP through an app found it easy.

What can I do to advocate for my healthcare?

Advocating for your healthcare is extremely important. No one will understand how you feel and as such it is imperative that you raise your concerns with a doctor and have them acknowledged.

Having an active role in your healthcare can show up in many ways such as:

• asking questions
• asking a doctor to explain what they mean if you do not understand something they said
• clarifying something you said if they misquote you
• challenging stereotypes if you feel they are present
• Sharing relevant information

Advocating for yourself in a healthcare scenario ensures you have an active role in your healthcare decisions, and you can raise concerns if you have any. As uncomfortable as it can feel, raising concerns with your GP can be incredibly helpful as it means you will get the right diagnosis quicker.

Can S&G help?

If you believe you have had a delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, or you believe the medical care and treatment you have received following a diagnosis has been substandard, contact our medical negligence solicitors.

Alongside legal experts, we also have an in-house medical team who will help you through the claims process and identify where in your medical journey things went wrong.

Contact us online today or call us on 0330 041 5869