Analysis: The best and worst areas for extended GP opening

New data published by NHS England yesterday said 56 per cent of people in Greater Manchester have access to “full” extended GP opening hours.

In the 2017-19 planning guidance, published in September last year, NHS England said that by 2019 all clinical commissioning groups must provide “full” extended GP access across all practices by April 2019.

NHS England defines “full” extended hours as there being access to pre bookable appointments on Saturdays, Sundays, and on each weekday for least 1.5 hours. Appointments must be available before 8am or in the evening after 6.30pm, or both. They can be delivered as part of a group, rather than directly by each practice.

The data reveals that just 4 per cent of the population in NHS England’s south west area have access to “full” extended opening hours.

The region also has one of the highest percentages with no access to extend GP hours at all. However, 75 per cent of people in the south west area do have access to “partial” extended hours.

The national commissioner defines “partial” access as: access to pre-bookable appointments on at least one day of the week; but insufficient to meet the criteria of full provision.

This table shows the five NHS England areas with the largest proportion of population coverage of “full” extended GP hours:

Table below shows the five NHS England areas with the smallest proportion of population coverage of “full” extended of GP hours:

*The figures in the table above relate to the number patients of GP practices who responded to NHS England’s survey. In total 7,108 GP practices, out of 7,428, responded to the survey.