Thursday 24 November 2022 10:35 AM Face-to-face GP appointments at highest level since BEFORE Covid nationally trends now
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The proportion of patients seen in-person in general practice has bounced to its highest level since Covid first hit British shores.
NHS Digital data shows seven in 10 consultations in England were face-to-face in October — the highest level since March 2020, when the UK was plunged into its first national lockdown.
The rate dropped as low as four in 10 during the early days of the pandemic, as Britons were told to stay at home to limit the spread of the virus.
Despite 80 per cent of patients being seen in-person pre-Covid, top doctors have suggested the figure may never bounce back to this level.
The jump comes as the health service today published figures for every GP practice in England — naming and shaming surgeries that are still doing most appointments by phone or video calls.
The data reveals that just 12 per cent of appointments are face-to-face at the worst-performing trusts.
NHS Digital data for England in October shows more patients were seen face-to-face since Covid first hit the UK (71.3 per cent).
