THE best and worst GP surgeries in Herefordshire as rated by the patients that use them can be revealed.

In the annual NHS survey, patients were asked a number of questions to find out how satisfied they were with the whole process, from booking their appointments to their overall experience. 

And while some surgeries scored highly in some areas, others fell short in the eyes of patients.

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Top of the tree was Cradley Surgery, who scored a very impressive 98 per cent for overall experience. That was higher than the 91 per cent it scored last year, which at that stage put the practice joint top along with Weobley & Staunton on Wye Surgeries. 

The latter again scored highly, but was slightly down this year with 87 per cent patient satisfaction.

In second place this year was Hereford-based Cantilupe Surgery who scored 95 per cent - 10 per cent more than it fared in 2022.

Anita Childs, who is a patient at the surgery, said she has experienced no problems with them.

"They are always polite and obliging," she said. 

Other surgeries who scored well in the county were The Surgery Kingstone (91 per cent), Fownhope Medical Group (89 per cent) and The Mortimer Medical Practices (87 per cent.)

At the other end of the scale, Hereford Medical Group (HMG) was bottom of the list with 61 per cent patient satisfaction, slightly lower than what it fared last year, which was 62 per cent.

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Dee Sysum, a patient at HMG said, that the system that the surgery uses is the issue, not the staff.

"I’ve never had an issue with HMG until recently when asking for an appointment to see someone medical not necessarily a GP," she said.

"I’m in a lot of pain and can only take specific medications. I have filled in an online form and telephoned twice and been awarded an appointment for August 18 as it’s classed as routine.

"Consequently I am now unable to attend work at present. I know they are under resourced and with strikes and staff sickness, but a telephone call would have sufficed."

In April, HMG said that it was working hard to ensure everyone receives the best care despite a national shortage of clinical and administrative staff.

"Funding cuts, combined with increased demand due to long hospital waiting lists and lack of both clinical and non-clinical staff was creating a situation where it ise being asked to do more with less," said a HMG spokesperson.  

The only other surgery in Herefordshire to score less than 70 cer pent was Ledbury Health Partnership was second bottom with 64 per cent (better than last year's 62 per cent).

Meanwhile, Nunwell Surgery in Bromyard saw a huge rise in patient satisfaction. Last year, it came last with 58 per cent; however this time, the patients clearly gave it the thumbs up, with patient satisfaction being recorded at 79 per cent. 

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