Patients in Wessex have given GPs nearly full marks for all categories in patient surveys used for revalidation.
The findings come from a Wessex LMCs analysis of feedback for 750 GPs, based on 30,000 completed patient surveys. GPC leaders said that the results would be mirrored elsewhere.
Patients are asked to rate their GP, ranging from one for 'poor' to 10 for 'excellent'.
On average Wessex GPs scored 9.2 for listening to patients, 9.2 for knowledge and nine for both caring and involving patients in decisions.
They also scored nine for patients finding it ‘easy to understand’ what they were told by their GP.
Of the ten categories rated, no average score fell below 8.6. The question which received 8.6 was patients knowing ‘what to do if your condition gets worse’.
Wessex LMCs chief executive Dr Nigel Watson said: ‘These results are excellent and demonstrate the quality of care that is generally provided to patients locally and also the high esteem in which most people hold their GP.
‘The results are reassuring to both patients and GPs and there are lessons that can be learnt from these surveys.
‘I do feel this is a morale boost. GPs have been taking a beating and this is patients saying GPs are good.’
GPC deputy chairman Dr Richard Vautrey said he expected the results to be similar in other parts of the UK.
‘GPs score highly whenever they are asked about in surveys, from the national patient surveys, individual surveys, to the recent General Practice Assessment Questionnaire (GPAQ) surveys,’ he said.
When asked if he expected ratings to drop, he said: ‘Not at all, the one thing GPs are not concerned about is asking for the views of their patients.' General practice, Dr Vautrey said, was 'top of the pops'.
UK general practice scored a higher public satisfaction rating than any other NHS service in the annual British Social Attitudes survey published earlier this year.
