DEVON is the easiest region in the UK to book a GP appointment, new figures show.

Based on data from the GP Patient Survey, the county made the top spot as 67 per cent of patients who responded said they were offered a GP appointment.

Dorset was the second easiest region according to the report compiled by healthcare management consultancy Acumentice https://acumentice.com/

A total of 9,265 Devon patients said they were offered an appointment in person, a time or day, or a choice of a healthcare professional. 

At one specific health centre, almost nine in 10, 86 per cent, patients were offered a choice of appointment when they last tried to make a general practice appointment, and 97 per cent felt their needs were met during their last general practice appointment.

However, recent data from the GP Patient Survey suggests that nationally, almost half of the patients who tried to book a GP appointment did not get an appointment when they wanted or sooner.

Following the Covid pandemic and suspension of non-urgent services, patients across the UK have seen delays in diagnosis and increased waiting times continuing into 2023. 

The recent figures suggest almost half of the patients who tried to acquire a GP appointment did not get an appointment when they wanted or sooner.

The new regional rankings are based on the percentage of patients per Integrated Care Board (ICS) who advised they were offered some type of appointment when calling their local GP practice in the latest GP Patient Survey. 

The 2022 GP Patient Survey confirms almost nine in 10, 86 per cent, patients at a certain Devon-based practice were offered a choice of appointment when they last tried to make a general practice appointment, and 97 per cent felt their needs were met during their last general practice appointment.