51 million GP appointments lasted less than 5 minutes in past year

51 million GP appointments in the last year lasted less than five minutes, new research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

The figures also reveal a postcode lottery with more than 21% of GP appointments in some areas lasting five minutes or less.

The party warned that the government’s failure to recruit more GPs has meant patients are “waiting for weeks to get an appointment only to be rushed through in a matter of minutes.” 

The Commons Library analysis is based on NHS figures for the year between March 2022, when the data was first published, and February 2023. It provides a figure for the first time on the number of five-minute GP appointments over an entire year, broken down by local area.

The figures show that overall, almost one in six (17.2%) GP appointments in England in the past year lasted less than five minutes. However, in some areas the number of patients being rushed through rapid appointments was far higher.

West Suffolk, home to former Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s constituency, had the highest proportion of short GP appointments than anywhere in the country with 21.8% lasting five minutes or less. The other areas with the highest percentage of short appointments were West Leicestershire (20.9%), Ipswich and East Suffolk (20.9%), and North East Lincolnshire (20.4%). This contrasted with Fylde and Wyre in Lancashire, where just one in ten (10.4%) of GP appointments were shorter than 5 minutes. 

Research has previously found that Britain has some of the shortest average GP appointments among similarly wealthy countries around the world. The Royal College of General Practice has called for standard GP appointments to be at least 15 minutes by 2030, with longer appointments for those with complex needs.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to recruit 8,000 more GPs and have set out plans to give patients a legal right to see a GP within 7 days. 

Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

“Many patients need time to properly talk through their symptoms with a GP, especially when they have complex health problems. 

“But the government’s failure to recruit the extra GPs they promised has meant doctors are being forced to cram in more and more short appointments. People are being left waiting weeks to get an appointment only to be rushed through in a matter of minutes.

“Entire communities are paying the price for years of neglect under the Conservatives, who have driven local health services into the ground.

“Liberal Democrats have set out a plan to boost GP numbers and guarantee people a right to an appointment within one week, so people can finally get the care and attention they deserve.”

ENDS 

Notes to Editor:

Commons Library data is available here. Original source (NHS Digital: Appointments in General Practice). 

The Royal College of General Practice statement on 15 minute appointments available here. The statement points to research showing that the UK offers some of the shortest GP consultations amongst economically-advanced nations at 9.2 minutes.