Contacting General Practices by telephone during Covid 19

Report - 8 December 2020

The purpose of this short study was to review all General (Medical) Practices (GPs) in Telford and Wrekin and find out how accessible GP appointments were over the telephone.

Summary of findings

  • GP Practices varied in the time it took to answer calls.

  • The quickest response time for a call to be answered was 10 seconds and this fell within the period 12pm to 2pm and subsequently a call between 4pm to 6pm at the same GP.

  • The longest response time for a call to be answered was 45 minutes, which fell within the period 8am to 9:30am.

  • The average call-length waiting time to get through to a Receptionist/Call Handler between 8am and 9.30am was just over 10 minutes.

  • Average call-length waiting time to get through to a Receptionist/Call Handler between 12pm to 2pm was approximately 6 minutes.

  • Average call-length waiting time to get through to a Receptionist/Call Handler between 2pm to 6pm was approximately 7 minutes.

  • Some people may have found the process of getting through to a Receptionist/Call Handler difficult or confusing and consequently prematurely ended the call before making contact with the Receptionist/Call Handler.

 

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info@healthwatchtelfordandwrekin.co.uk 

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