NHS Digital figures reveal most oversubscribed GP practices in the East Riding

The GP practices in the East Riding of Yorkshire with the most and least patients per doctor have been revealed.
NHS Digital figures show 307,857 patients were registered at GP practices in the NHS East Riding of Yorkshire CCG area at the end of January – along with the equivalent of 164 full-time GPs. Photo: PA ImagesNHS Digital figures show 307,857 patients were registered at GP practices in the NHS East Riding of Yorkshire CCG area at the end of January – along with the equivalent of 164 full-time GPs. Photo: PA Images
NHS Digital figures show 307,857 patients were registered at GP practices in the NHS East Riding of Yorkshire CCG area at the end of January – along with the equivalent of 164 full-time GPs. Photo: PA Images

Peeler House Surgery in Hessle has the worst ratio in the area, with 11,355 patients per full-time GP – though the surgery only had a GP for 26.67% of the hours of one full-time role.

This was followed by Leven and Beeford Medical Practice (11,285) and Dr Ac Milner in Anlaby (5,581).

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The British Medical Association said large disparities in GP to patient ratios throughout England are “wholly unacceptable” and called on the Government to address the longstanding issues.

NHS Digital figures show 307,857 patients were registered at GP practices in the NHS East Riding of Yorkshire CCG area at the end of January – along with the equivalent of 164 full-time GPs.

This means if the patients were equally spread, each GP would be dealing with an average of 1,875 patients – but the figures vary drastically across the 29 practices which were recorded as having patients and any FTE practitioners.

Patient ratios vary widely across England, from 41,000 patients per GP at a practice in Coventry and Warwickshire, to just 96 at a Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin surgery.

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Dr Kieran Sharrock, BMA England GP committee deputy chairman, said: “This data shows worryingly large disparities in GP to patient ratios across the country and it is wholly unacceptable that patients should have to experience such variations in access to care.

“The Government has failed to address the longstanding recruitment and retention issues in general practice and we now have a very unsustainable and unsafe situation where fewer GPs are being tasked with the responsibility of caring for significantly more patients.”

Dr Sharrock said the Government has not paid enough attention to the primary care backlog and should provide “urgent and substantial support” to enable high quality care.

Meanwhile, the East Riding practices with the lowest number of patients per GP are Dr Mitchell (724), Manor Road Surgery (1,079) and Gilberdyke Health Centre (1,112).

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The Department of Health and Social Care said there were over 1,600 more FTE doctors in December 2021 than two years previously, with a record-breaking number starting training last year.

A spokeswoman added: “We have invested £520 million to improve access and expand GP capacity during the pandemic.”