Asked what are the time implications of Choose and Book compared with previous methods of dealing with referrals, 56 per cent said it added at least five minutes to consultation times, and 19 per cent one to four minutes.
Just 2 per cent of GPs thought the referral system saved time.
There was also doubt over the usefulness of the electronic bookings system. Some 30 per cent of respondents said Choose and Book's effect on patient outcomes was detrimental. Twenty-eight per cent of GPs saw no difference and 24 per cent thought it was beneficial to outcomes.
A fifth of GPs said between 81 and 100 per cent of their referrals were now dealt with using Choose and Book.
However, 13 per cent are still not using the system.
