HALF of all GP patients in Northumberland reported struggling to get in contact with their practice.

Officials from the North East and Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) outlined some of the challenges facing GP practices across the county at a meeting on Tuesday (November 5).

Members were told that GP surgeries were being encouraged to move to a more modern operating model that included improved access as well as better working environments for staff.

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There are 36 GP practices in Northumberland spread across 60 sites. The practices have an average patient list size of 9,409 – although this figure is on the increase.

Explaining the issues, the ICB’s strategic head of primary care James Martin said: “There are a lot of positive things – we have proportionally more appointments and more face-to-face appointments compared to the ICB and England averages, but we know there are still some challenges.

“One in two people are saying they struggle to contact their practice. There are challenges around recruitment and retention of staff as well as increasing demand – there are more people needing to be seen and a greater number of times they need to be seen.

“There’s still a lot of wasted appointments where people don’t turn up. It needs work to get it right – it’s not something that is going to happen overnight. There is not a one model fits all, it takes time.”

Cllr Veronica Jones, the council’s cabinet member for tackling inequalities, feared the situation was even worse than described.

She said: “We’re picking up that there’s a much higher level of dissatisfaction. Many practices – and mine is one of them – you can only have a same-day appointment.

“GP appointments are only available between 8am and 8.20am. What about parents and carers? Eight o’clock is just about the worst possible time for parents to hang on to a phone for 20 minutes because they need to get the kids to school.

“There should be different times during the day rather than people all ringing up at once.”

Mr Martin responded: “That is a real concern. Conditions can escalate day to day.

“We’re aware of it and that’s where some of the changes to the access models are aimed to try and improve it. It’s very challenging, it’s not an easy solution.”