GP surgeries across north London have increased the number of available appointments and reduced waiting times.

But inadequate funding, poor staff retention and declining patient satisfaction still remain big issues in the area, members of a joint health overview and scrutiny committee heard last week (July 25).

Patients had reportedly raised concerns about GPs, with a report from the NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) showing that patient satisfaction had “declined” in recent years.

In May 2023, NCL ICB, which covers Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Camden, and Islington, created a “delivery plan for recovering primary care access”.

This aimed to improve access for patients, make operational and technical changes to the way practices worked, and tackle the ‘8am rush’ for appointments.

Dr Katie Coleman, an Islington-based GP and clinical director for primary care at NCL ICB, shared the latest local results following the plan’s implementation.

Dr Coleman said: “I think it’s important to recognise general practices deliver more than 90% of all the activity across the NHS, and in North Central London it’s almost 95% of activity, so we’re doing a significant amount of the work in the NHS.”

Every month across this area, GPs deliver more than 800,000 appointments, of which 780,000 are delivered in GP surgeries and 30,000 out of hours. 

More than 50% of appointments are delivered “on the day”, and GPs in North Central London are consistently meeting the two-week requirement of offering an appointment in over 90% of cases. 

But despite recording improved retention levels in GPs, Dr Coleman said retention and recruitment needed continued focus as well as the “disparity around funding” for GPs across the country.

If this does not happen, she said, services would not be able to “keep up with the demand that comes through on a daily basis in GPs”.

She added that only 8% of the NHS’ budget was used to invest in NHS practices.

NCL ICB has also recently come under fire for a plan to move a community health centre in Kentish Town to make way for a dialysis unit.

The Peckwater Centre brings together mental health, social care and wheelchair services under one roof.

But the site is being considered for the Mary Rankin Dialysis Unit, which must move from St Pancras Hospital due to redevelopment work.  

Patients at the Caversham practice, which shares a building with the centre, have vowed to oppose the plan.