NORTH Essex’s best and worst GP practices, as voted for by patients, have been revealed.

The GP Patient Survey 2019 asked residents for their views on their doctors’ surgeries across a range of different areas.

A survey of 3,873 patients across 32 surgeries in the region, which includes Colchester and Tendring, found 77 per cent rated their surgery as fairly good or good.

This was below the national average where 83 per cent of respondents found their practice to be good.

Around 11 per cent of all north Essex patients who responded rated their surgery as fairly poor or very poor.

Caradoc Surgery, in Frinton, was voted the worst of the surgeries polled, with just 41 per cent rating the surgery as good.

The best was found to be Harewood Surgery, in Great Oakley, with 99 per cent of respondents giving the practice a thumbs up.

Just 57 per cent of patients in north Essex said it was easy to get through to someone at their surgery on the phone - 11 per cent lower than the national average.

In the survey Harwood Surgery came out again on top with a 99 per cent rating but at Caradoc Surgery just six per cent said it was easy.

Overall 86 per cent of patients across the CCG said receptionists were helpful.

In total 60 per cent of patients said their experience of making an appointment was good but 24 per cent said it was poor.

A spokesman for the CCG said it was encouraged by 77 per cent saying their experience was good.

She added: “We also acknowledge 11 per cent had a poor experience and that the CCG has more work to do to support our GP practices to make improvements.

“The CCG was pleased to learn that 86 per cent of patients said receptionists were helpful and this is extremely positive feedback for the practices to receive.

“With regards to patient access, the CCG is disappointed to learn that 57 per cent of patients said it was easy to get through to someone on the phone and the CCG recognises that this figure needs to be improved.

“The CCG, and most other CCGs in the country, are aware of this problem and are taking a number of actions with the practices to support improvement.

“The NHS is supporting practices to make better use of technology and other ways, outside the conventional routes, to contact practices.”

The CCG said it was supporting the rollout of online appointments and consultations.