MORE can be done to encourage patients to use technology to access GP services, says Bury's health boss ­—who added that overall the borough's GPs did better than the national average in a number of areas.

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Dr. Jeff Schryer, local GP and Chair of NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “The national GP patient survey offers an important opportunity for patients to have their say about how well they feel their practice is doing at providing services to its patients.

“The findings provide important insight into patients’ experiences, and in addition to feedback from local patient satisfaction surveys and the Friends and Family Test, helps practices to build on the high quality care they provide.

“The survey only reflects a small sample of patients, but it’s really encouraging that the majority of patients who responded to the most recent survey are generally positive about the services provided by their GP practice. Overall, Bury practices fared better than the national average in a number of areas including overall experience of GP practices in Bury and how helpful patients find our receptionists.

“When thinking about having enough time with their health care professional, feeling listened to, being treated with care and concern and having confidence and trust in them, the vast majority of patients said they had a positive experience at their last general practice appointment.

“The findings highlight there is an opportunity to raise awareness of the benefits of using online services to book appointments and order repeat prescriptions. Whilst there was a good awareness of these services locally, a smaller number of patients are currently using these services. Booking appointments online can be more convenient than calling the practice, and by having a more balanced mix of telephone and online bookings, this should make it easier for patients that do need to call the practice to get through on the phone, improving their overall experience of making an appointment.”