GP access in North West London perspectives from patients in Brent and Westminster

In February 2024, Healthwatch became aware of proposals to change the way that some patients in North West London access same-day GP appointments. In response to this, we launched a survey asking local people for their views about how they access their GP currently, what's working and what could be improved.

In total, we heard from 228 people living in Westminster as well as other parts of North West London. Overall, we found that residents were happy with the current service being provided by their local GP practice. Most residents who responded to the survey (75.5%) felt that their GP took their needs and preferences into account at least some of the time.

There was also recognition that changes are needed, to address issues with the availability of appointments and with accessibility of booking options. This includes both same-day access and the ability to book appointments in advance. However, any changes need to be developed in collaboration with patients, taking their views and needs into account.