GP practices in Shepton Mallet have received a variety of feedback in the latest NHS England GP Patient Survey for 2024.

Nationwide, 73.9% of patients rated their overall experience with their GP as 'good', a slight improvement from recent years.

In Shepton Mallet, Grove House Surgery on West Shepton was one of the better-performing practices, with 85.3% of patients reporting a positive experience. However, 8.2% of patients were dissatisfied with the care they received, indicating room for improvement in certain aspects of service delivery, such as appointment availability and continuity of care.

Park Medical Practice on Cannards Grave Road saw a slightly lower satisfaction rate, with 79.4% of patients reporting a positive experience, while 14.9% expressed dissatisfaction. The survey highlights challenges in accessing appointments and seeing preferred GPs, issues that have also been noted nationally.

An NHS England spokesperson commented: "NHS staff have worked incredibly hard to cope with increased demand for patient care, but this survey makes it clear there is much more to do to improve patient's satisfaction and experience in accessing primary care services. We look forward to working with the Government to tackle the issues that matter most to patients, which includes better supporting patients with long term conditions, improving continuity of care, particularly for those that need it most, and making it easier for people to contact their GP."

Overall, 89.9% of patients in the 2024 survey said their needs were met during their last GP appointment, while 92.3% expressed confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw. However, the survey's authors cautioned that the data cannot be compared with previous years due to a redevelopment of the survey's design to reflect changes in primary care services.

The 2024 survey also found that 64% of patients reported being seen face-to-face at their last GP appointment, signalling a return to more traditional modes of care.

In Shepton Mallet, while GP services generally received positive feedback, the survey highlights the importance of improving accessibility and communication, ensuring that all patients can receive the care they need in a timely and effective manner.