THE best and worst GP practices in Bury have been revealed after the release of a patients’ survey.

The annual report asked surgery users about their experiences of their local practices and asks them about service access, making appointments, waiting times, care during appointments, opening hours and out-of-hours service.

Greenmount Medical Centre came top of the table with 97 per cent of patients describing the practice as ‘good’.

Unsworth Medical Centre and Woodbank Medical Centre were bottom of the pile with 68 per cent.

Overall, GP surgery’s in the Bury Clinical Commissioning Group area received a satisfaction rating of 86 per cent, above the national average of 85 per cent.

Other surgeries scoring particularly well included Garden City Medical Centre in Ramsbottom, Blackford House Medical Centre in Bury and Minden Family Practices – Dr Shekar, in Bury, which all scored 96 per cent.

As well as Unsworth and Woodbank Medical Centres, The Elms Medical Centre in Whitefield (70 per cent) and St Gabriel’s Medical Centre in Prestwich (73 per cent) made up the lower end of the league.

On a CCG-wide basis, the percentage of patients who said it was easy getting through to surgeries on the phone stood at 67 per cent, one point below the national average of 68 per cent.

In this category, Greyland Medical Centre in Prestwich fared best with 95 per cent while Longfield Medical Practice in Prestwich was bottom with 25 per cent.

Ribblesdale Medical Practice in Bury had the most helpful receptionists, according to the survey, while The Uplands Medical Practice in Whitefield had the least helpful.

Around 94 per cent of Bury patients were happy with the convenience of their appointment and 74 per cent were pleased with the process of making an appointment to see their GP, against a national average of 73 per cent.

But waiting times were a sore point with nearly one third – 30 per cent – of patients saying the wait was too long.

The survey was sent to 2.15million adult patients in the UK and 808,332 responded.

Overall patient satisfaction results (as reported by Ipsos MORI):

Greenmount Medical Centre – 97 %

Garden City Medical Centre – 96%

Blackford House Medical Centre – 96%

Minden Family Practices – Dr Shekar – 96%

Spring Lane Surgery – 93%

Ribblesdale Medical Practice – 93%

Whittaker Lane Med Centre – 92%

Mile Lane Health Centre – 91%

Fairfax Group Practice – 91%

Rock Healthcare Ltd – 90%

Longfield Medical Practice – 90%

Minden Family Practices – Dr Saxena – 90%

Minden Family Practices – Dr Norman – 90%

Tottington Medical Practice – 90%

Radcliffe Medical Practice – 90%

Townside Surgery – 90%

Walmersley Road Medical Practice – 89%

Greyland Medical Centre – 88%

Monarch Medical Centre – 87%

The RLC Surgery – 84%

Huntley Mount Medical Centre – 84%

Ramsbottom Medical Practice – 83%

Peel GPs – 82%

The Birches Medical Centre – 81%

Knowsley Medical Centre – 78%

Red Bank Group Practice – 77%

The Uplands Medical Practice 77%

St Gabriel’s Medical Centre – 73%

The Elms Medical Centre – 70%

Woodbank Surgery – 68%

Unsworth Medical Centre – 68%

What do you think of the results of the patients’ survey of GP practices? How does yours fare and do you agree? Let us know.