SOUTH Holland’s GP surgeries have been given marks out of ten in a new system aimed at providing clear information about how they are performing.
Patients can now log onto the NHS Choices website and see ratings and comments left by other users highlighting how well surgeries are doing in terms of how easy it is to get an appointment and how doctors and nurses explain complicated medical conditions and treatments, among other things.
The scores are based on a nationwide survey of more than one million randomly-chosen patients.
It is hoped the new scheme will help drive up standards within GP surgeries as people are able to compare their doctor with others.
Within South Holland, one of the worst performing surgeries for overall patient experience of care, according to the new system, is Munro Medical Centre in Spalding, which received 6.9 out of ten.
Gosberton Medical Centre is one of the best after being rated eight out of ten by patients, with one patient commenting: “This surgery has been fantastic with my care and referrals during a long period of illness, brilliant all-round care”.
The website also offers information about how many doctors work at each surgery, car parking, whether the surgery offers extended appointments and a rating out of ten for opening hours and how long patients wait to be seen.
Those who have taken part in the survey, were asked a range of questions including whether they would recommend the surgery to a friend, whether they are treated with dignity and respect by staff and how easily they were able to contact the surgery by telephone.
Announcing the scheme, Government health minister Lord Howe said: “Patients will now be able to see exactly what the experience of being a patient at each GP surgery is really like.”
But a spokesman for the British Medical Association said: “Reducing surgeries to a score out of ten fails to allow patients to give detailed responses.
“The rating would also fail to take into account the differing challenges that each GP practice may face, especially in terms of resources which are increasingly being squeezed by Government cuts.”
The GP ratings can be found at www.nhs.uk and using the “health services near you” search box.