Many people tell us that they struggle to access their GP and make appointments. It is important that people are able to access their GP practice when they need it as the GP tends to be the first point of contact to access the rest of health and care services.

In 2022, GP practices introduced a more thorough process where receptionists asked questions to find out more about patient's issues, to assign them to the appropriate professional such as a Doctor, Nurse, Healthcare Assistant, Physiotherapist, Social Prescriber or other medical professional. This process is called triage and is often carried out by a trained Receptionist, sometimes called a Care Navigator.

We spoke to community groups and people in Leeds and found that the new way of getting help was useful for some but caused barriers for others, making it even harder to get the appointment they needed.

You can find out the reasons why barriers were caused when accessing their GP practice and our recommendations in the report.

If you require the report in an alternative format, please get in touch. You can request a copy by calling 0113 898 0035, email info@healthwatchleeds.co.uk or text 07717 309 843.