Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment he has made of the GP-to-patient ratio in (a) Thurrock and (b) nationally.

As of December 2024, the number of full time equivalent (FTE) doctors in general practice (GP) per 10,000 registered patients in Thurrock was 3.5. This is lower than the national median of 5.6.

Each GP is required to provide services to meet the reasonable needs of their patients. There is no NHS England recommendation for how many patients a GP should have assigned, or the ratio of GPs or other practice staff to patients.

The demands that each patient places on their GP are different and can be affected by many different factors, including rurality and patient demographics. It is necessary to consider the workforce for each practice as a whole, not only the GPs but also the range of health professionals available who are able to respond to the needs of their patients.

Through the Red Tape Challenge, we are determined to bulldoze bureaucracy and cut red tape, ensuring that GPs spend less time filling in forms and more time caring for patients. We recognise that it is vital for roles to be satisfying, rewarding, and sustainable so that our experienced GPs continue to contribute throughout their career.

The South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency sits within the NHS Mid and South Essex ICB. In December 2024, 529,000 appointments were delivered. 43.9% were delivered on the same day that they were booked and 81.4% were delivered within two weeks of booking. This is slightly lower than the national average, where 46% of all appointments were delivered on the same day and 82.7% were delivered within two weeks. There are several factors which can influence the timing of appointments, and it is not possible to estimate the time between the patient’s first attempt to contact their surgery and an appointment.