Thousands of Milton Keynes patients not impressed with GPs

Half of all the GP surgeries in Milton Keynes are among the worst in the country when it comes to patients' ratings.

Fourteen of the city’s 27 surgeries came in the bottom 10 per cent nationally in last year’s GP 
Patient Survey.

The worst was Great Holm’s Hilltops Medical centre, which was ranked 7,638 out of 7,732 practices.

Other low rankers included Westcroft Health Centre, Kingfisher Surgery in Newport Pagnell, Water Eaton Health Centre, Wolverton Health Centre, Ashfield Medical Centre, Bedford Street Surgery in Bletchley, Oakridge Park Medical Centre, Broughton Gate Health Centre and Watling Vale Medical Centre.

Many scored badly on the ease of patients getting through on the phone and making an appointment.

Scores for “overall experience of the surgery” were also below the national average.

Voted best in MK was Cobbs Garden Surgery in Olney, with the Stonedean Practice in Stony Stratford second.

Other surgeries with very high ratings were Milton Keynes Village, Sovereign Medical Centre in Pennyland, the Red House in Bletchley and Newport Pagnell Medical Centre.

MK Council is now asking the local Clinical Commissioning Group to investigate what makes the patient experience better at some surgeries compared to others in Milton Keynes.

The Clinical Commissioning Group commented: “MK CCG is planning a series of visits to every practice in Milton Keynes, commencing in April.

“Data will be used ...and will be benchmarked. Action plans will then be agreed.”

At Hilltops Medical Centre only half of patients would recommend the surgery. And just 27 per cent said they could get through easily by telephone.

93 per cent of patients at Cobbs Garden surgery who had no problem contacting the practice and would recommend the surgery to others.

Overall, GP surgeries in MK were ranked 203 out of 7,732 in the Patient Survey.

On average, 43 per cent of patients said is was not easy to call their surgery.

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