A recent analysis of GP surgeries in Somerset has revealed varying waiting times for appointments, highlighting significant differences in patient experiences across the region.

The data, covering the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board area for May, shows that one in eight GP appointments took place more than three weeks after being booked.

In total, there were 312,065 GP appointments in the Somerset area during May. Of these, more than three quarters (66.9%) occurred within a week of booking, including 43.2% on the same day. However, 12.2% of appointments were held more than three weeks after booking, higher than the national average of 9.8%.

In Shepton, the data highlights the differences in waiting times :

• Park Medical Practice, Shepton Mallet: 20.4% of appointments took place over 21 days after booking, while 43.1% were on the same day. Patients typically wait between 2 to 7 days for an appointment.
• Grove House Surgery, Shepton Mallet: 8.6% of appointments occurred over 21 days after booking, with 47.9% on the same day. Typical wait times are between 2 to 7 days.

Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care at NHS England, said: "Millions more appointments are being delivered every month compared to before the pandemic thanks to GP teams. Every GP practice is upgrading their telephone systems to make it easier for patients to contact their surgery, while patients can use the NHS app to order repeat prescriptions and view their test results without needing to contact their family doctor."

Nationally, 30.4 million appointments were offered at GP surgeries across England in May. Of these, 69.2% were within a week of booking, including 44.3% on the same day.

However, 3.0 million appointments, nearly 10%, took place more than three weeks after booking.