Healthwatch Portsmouth survey finds 50 per cent of patients find access to GPs harder after contract changes
GP contract changes have not improved access in Portsmouth according to report
12 months after changes were made to improve access to GPs, over 50 per cent of responders to a survey believe access has become harder in Portsmouth.
Healthwatch Portsmouth, an independent consumer champion for health and social care, found that access to GP appointments has not improved for many people in the city despite appointment capacity increasing by 11.15 per cent between June 2025 and June 2026 across Hampshire.
The report sought to find if the changes made to the GP contract in October 2025 had made an impact. The changes were designed to improve how patients access and experience primary care services by strengthening digital access, reducing administrative burdens, and supporting a shift towards more care being delivered in the community.
This entailed GP practices having to keep their online consultations open during standard open hours (8am to 6.30pm) for patients to contact them.
Despite this, the report found that 50.6 per cent of the 504 people that took part in the Portsmouth survey believed it was now harder to get an appointment with only 8 per cent saying it was easier.
One of the issues highlighted in the report was the push towards online services as the first point of contact with just under 70 per cent of respondents listing telephone as their preferred method.
One patient said: "Despite being at the surgery, I was advised I had to use the online form to make an appointment."
While another added: “19 calls in one day and got nothing but an engaged tone."
The use of online forms and digital triage were welcomed by many respondents, however 41.3 per cent of participants reported difficulties in using them. Some felt they were a barrier to them getting timely access to doctors especially when faced with long call queues and engaged lines when trying to book appointments over the phone.
One patient said: “Constantly told to use the online App. At nearly 70 this is not easy."
Another commented: "Given up trying and now use website which is frequently closed due to being oversubscribed."
Other issues raised in the report included a lack of awareness of the patient charter, a lack of alternative care options offered, mixed communication with some responders not getting next-step information on the same day.
The report concluded: “There are positive elements, including same-day responses for many patients, greater use of pharmacies, NHS 111 and Urgent Treatment Centres. However, the findings present a mixed and uneven picture of patient experience, with significant concerns about appointment availability, digital-first access, communication, redirection to alternative professionals and digital exclusion.
“Healthwatch Portsmouth recommends that the ICB uses these findings to work with practices on practical, patient-facing improvements that make access routes clear, inclusive and reliable for all patients.”
Siobhain McCurrach, Area Director for Healthwatch Hampshire and Portsmouth, said: "As the local health and social care champion, we wanted to know if people have found that their access to GP surgeries since October 2025 has improved. The survey responses have helped us to find gaps in services and work with health care commissioners to improve primary care services for the people of Hampshire”
Following on from the report, The News asked its readers if they have noticed a difference in GP accessibility since the changes came in. The majority responded that they had not seen a difference with some saying it was worse but there were a number of people who credited the changes with bringing a positive change.
One reader said: “I use anima all of the time and can only praise it. Best thing for me. Island City Practice has improved over the past few years. Well done everyone.”
Another said: “ E-consult form filled in for recurring issue. Message received within 30 mins to say a prescription had been sent to the chemist. Can’t ask for better than that.”
However, the majority of people believed that there had not been an improvement with one person stating it is “not easy of you don’t use the internet” while another added the complexities of the changes have made it difficult for those who English is not their first language.
The experience is not just isolated to Portsmouth with Healthwatch Hampshire also conducting the survey across the county. It had similar results with 36 per cent of the 896 respondents believing access to GP appointments had become harder.
In response to the Portsmouth report, an NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board spokesperson said: “We welcome this report and would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their experiences. Listening to patients and communities is essential to continue improving primary care services and ensure meet the needs of the people they serve. The report provides valuable insight into both what is working well and where people continue to experience challenges accessing support from their GP practice.
“General practice remains the front door to the NHS for most people and continues to manage growing demand while supporting patients with a wide range of health needs. Across Portsmouth, practices, Primary Care Networks and partners have worked hard to improve access, expand multidisciplinary teams, increase the range of professionals available to patients and develop new ways of delivering care, while recognising that access and experience are not yet consistent for everyone.
“The themes highlighted in this report, including timely access, communication, continuity, digital inclusion and understanding the different roles within general practice, align closely with our priorities for primary care. They also reflect the direction of national primary care policy. We are committed to working alongside practices, Primary Care Networks, Healthwatch and local communities to translate national developments into improvements in patient experience, reduce inequalities and ensure services continue to evolve around the needs of patients.
“We are grateful to Healthwatch Portsmouth for undertaking this work and for presenting the findings in a constructive way. The insights and recommendations will help shape ongoing improvements and support our shared ambition to deliver high-quality, accessible and person-centred primary care for the people of Portsmouth.''
The report can be found on the Healthwatch Portsmouth website.