Why it can be hard to get an appointment - Ashcroft Surgery, Bradford

An honest update from your GP team

Why it can be hard to get an appointment

We know how frustrating it is when you cannot get the appointment you want. This page explains why that happens, what we do about it, and how you can help. We want to be open with you, because you deserve honesty.

The short version

More people need GP care than ever, but the money and staff have not grown to match. To keep your care safe, there is a limit to how much one doctor can safely do in a day. When we reach that limit, we will not ignore you — we will guide you to the right help. This is about keeping you safe, not turning you away.

The picture in numbers

What GP surgeries are dealing with

These figures describe general practice across England — not just Ashcroft Surgery. They help explain why every GP surgery is feeling the strain.

31p

per patient per day is what practices receive to provide unlimited GP and nurse care. Less than the price of a postage stamp.

17%

more patients are cared for by GPs than in 2015 — but with fewer fully qualified GPs than before.

1 in 4

GP surgeries have closed or merged since 2010 — around 2,000 practices. Fewer surgeries means more patients for each one that remains.

patient contacts a day is the safe daily limit for one GP, according to national safe-working guidance. Many GPs regularly deal with far more.

~6%

of the NHS budget goes to general practice — even though most NHS appointments happen at GP surgeries like ours.

1 in 5

GP buildings are over 75 years old — older than the NHS itself, with little money available to modernise them.

These figures come from the British Medical Association (BMA) and NHS workforce data. You can read more on the BMA's "GPs are on your side" campaign page (opens the BMA website).

Behind the scenes

A quiet waiting room does not mean a quiet surgery

Appointments are only the part of our work you can see. Like an iceberg, most of it sits below the surface. Every GP also has hours of clinical work each day that never appears in the waiting room.

What you see

Face-to-face appointments
Telephone appointments
Home visits

What you don't see

Checking blood tests, scans and X-ray results — and acting on them
Reading and responding to hospital letters
Signing and checking prescriptions safely
Writing referrals to hospital specialists
Completing sick notes, reports and forms
Urgent queries from pharmacists, district nurses and care homes
Safeguarding work to protect children and vulnerable adults

Keeping care safe

Why there has to be a daily limit

Think of an airline pilot. Pilots are only allowed to fly a set number of hours, because a tired pilot is not a safe pilot. The same is true for doctors.

A tired doctor is not a safe doctor

A GP who has already seen too many patients becomes tired and rushed, and is more likely to miss something important. That is not safe for you, and not fair on the doctor. National guidance from the BMA says around 25 patient contacts a day is a safe limit for one GP.

What happens when we reach the limit

We do not close the door. Our trained team looks at every request and makes sure urgent problems are seen first. If we cannot safely fit you in that day, we will point you to the right service — a pharmacist, NHS 111, another member of our team, or a routine appointment on another day.

What happens next

What happens when you contact us

Here is the journey your request takes. Sorting requests this way means the sickest patients are helped first — a bit like a hospital seeing the most seriously hurt person before someone with a sprained ankle.

You contact us

By phone from 8.30am, or online using PATCHS for non-urgent problems. For anything urgent, always phone or come to reception — do not use the online form.

We ask what you need help with

Our reception team may ask a few questions. This is not to be nosy — it helps us get you to the right person first time. You do not have to give details, but it helps us help you safely.

We match you to the right help

Depending on how urgent your problem is, and what it is, this could be one of three routes:

Urgent today A same-day appointment or call with the duty doctor, prioritised by clinical need.

The right professional A nurse, pharmacist, physiotherapist or wellbeing worker — often quicker, and just as skilled for that problem.

Another safe route A routine appointment on another day, your local pharmacy, or NHS 111 — depending on what suits your problem best.

If it is an emergency, do not wait for us

Call 999 straight away, or go to A&E, if you or someone else has:

signs of a heart attack, such as severe chest pain
signs of a stroke, such as face drooping, arm weakness or slurred speech
severe difficulty breathing
heavy bleeding that will not stop
a severe allergic reaction
sudden confusion, or someone who cannot be woken

If you need urgent help but it is not life-threatening, call NHS 111 — free, 24 hours a day.

You can make a difference

How you can help

This is your surgery, built for your community. Small actions from patients genuinely make a big difference — and one of them could help change things nationally.

Write to your MP

MPs listen when local voters write. Ask your MP to support more GPs, more practice staff, and fairer funding for general practice. It takes 10 minutes and it genuinely matters.

Find and write to your MP

Try Pharmacy First

Pharmacists are highly trained. They can advise on coughs, colds, rashes, aches and medicines — and can now treat 7 common conditions without you seeing a GP. No appointment needed.

See how pharmacies can help on NHS.uk

Cancel if you can't come

Around 400 appointments are missed at our surgery every month. Every one you cancel goes to another patient who needs it. Even short notice helps.

How to cancel an appointment

Use the NHS App

Order repeat prescriptions, see parts of your GP record, and manage some appointments — without phoning us. It frees the phone lines for people who need them most.

Get the NHS App on NHS.uk

Call at the right time

Our lines are busiest from 8.30am to 10am — please keep that time for urgent problems only. For anything else, like test results or routine bookings, call after 10am.

See the best times to call

Be kind to our team

Our staff did not create these pressures — they turn up every day to help you despite them. A little patience and kindness helps them do their best work for you.

About our practice team

Thank you for understanding

We love this job because we love helping people. With the right support, we could employ more staff and offer the timely, personal care you deserve. Until then, thank you for your patience, your kindness, and your support. We are on your side.

— The Partners, Ashcroft Surgery