The average waiting time for a routine GP appointment has almost hit two weeks, a Pulse survey has revealed.
The survey, answered by 831 respondents, found that the average waiting time for an appointment was just under 13 days – an increase from 10 days last year.
The respondents said that they expect the average time to be around 17 days next year. GP leaders said that this proves that the crisis in general practice is having a real effect on patients.
It comes as practices are having to stop providing appointments in advance – only accepting emergency appointments – due to workload pressures. Around 41% of GPs who answered the question said that the wait was longer than two weeks, with 15% saying it was longer than three weeks.
The situation has deteriorated since last year, when the average wait for an appointment was 10 days, and only 26% of GPs said the wait was longer than two weeks.
Full story in Pulse 10 June 2016