More patients in mid and south Essex are reporting positive experiences and taking advantage of new ways to access their GP practice.
The recently published national GP Patient Survey reveals that overall patient experience in mid and south Essex has improved compared to 2024, up to 72%.
Around seven million appointments were delivered in mid and south Essex GP practices in 2024, 5% more than 2023. The survey results show that modern general practice access initiatives launched in May 2023 are delivering benefits for residents. GP surgeries have been supported to improve their online and telephone services, hire more staff and introduce new, more efficient ways to access GP services.
We’ve been supporting GP practices to deliver more appointments, recruit hundreds of new clinical staff and introduce digital tools. This is helping patients contact their practice in ways that work for them and quickly see the right healthcare professional for their needs.
While we recognise there’s still work to do to meet growing demands on our services, the positive increases in survey results show that local initiatives are benefitting patients, and we will continue to rollout improvements across mid and south Essex. These improvements are a direct result of the continued efforts of practice clinical and administrative staff to improve the services they offer to their patients.
William Guy, Director of Primary Care at NHS Mid and South Essex
Contacting GP practices easier than ever before
In mid and south Essex, practices have been adopting digital tools like online portals and telehealth platforms. These tools provide more options and increased flexibility for patients when they need to contact their practice to request care and make enquiries. Over £1.6 million has also been invested to move GP practices over to cloud-based telephony which includes a call back option, so patients don’t lose their place in the queue.
These digital systems make contacting practices easier. Instead of an 8am rush to call, patients can submit online requests at a more suitable time for them, which in turn frees up phonelines for patients who still need to call.
The survey results show that more patients are reporting it is easy to contact their GP on the phone, via the website or through the NHS App, with each improved by 4% compared to the previous years’ survey.
Hassengate Medical Centre in Stanford-le-Hope is a local example of how the transformation is taking place across Thurrock. In March 2025, the practice introduced ‘total triage’ – a system in which patients provide information and are reviewed by a clinician to decide next steps for their care.
Before the changes, our practice staff were incredibly busy every morning working through queues of patients on the phone. We often faced frustrated patients, and many were reluctant to share why they needed an appointment, making it difficult for us to assess which healthcare professional could best help them.
Since we switched to total triage, feedback from patients has been very positive. Each weekday, a GP and care navigator work together to review every request that has been submitted. Patients usually receive a response the same day, but always within three days.
It’s now quicker and easier for patients to get an appointment, and they’re reassured knowing their online form will be seen by one of our doctors with a timely response. By freeing up telephone lines, we can spend more time supporting patients who don’t have access to technology. Our staff are happier too, because we’re delivering more appointments and spending more time caring for patients.
Practice Manager Samantha Newton describes how it has revolutionised their patient care
Other improvements
Local survey results for mid and south Essex also revealed improvements in the care patients received. Compared to the previous year, there was an increase in the number of patients who:
- felt listened to
- felt their mental health was considered
- were as involved as they wanted to be in making decisions about their care
- had confidence in their healthcare professional.
In addition to GP practice improvements, 90% of respondents also had a good overall experience of pharmacy services, with 1 in 5 people reporting they used their local pharmacy when their GP practice was closed.
To find out more about local improvements and ways to get the care you need quickly and easily visit the NHS Mid and South Essex website.