The government data for Kent also reveals that just over half of all patients are able to see their doctor face to face.
There were nearly 700,000 appointments in total during the month of August, the latest national NHS numbers released last week (30 September) indicate.
Face-to-face consultations accounted for 373,424 of these – or 53 per cent of appointments.
Of the other remaining appointments that took place in August that were not done in a GP’s consulting room, the vast majority (302,939) were for telephone and video appointments using apps such as Zoom.
Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group [CCG], which is in charge of GP surgeries across the area, said the figures were ‘equivalent to nearly 20 per cent of the Kent and Medway population being seen face-to-face by a member of their GP team in this month alone’.
However, before the pandemic 80 per cent of all GP appointments that took place in England were done face to face.
Face to face appointments dropped to 52 per cent during the pandemic, and GPs have been under fire for not offering enough face-to-face appointments, with Health Secretary Sajid Javid saying the Government would urge them to do so.
Across England and Wales, 58 per cent of all appointments were carried out face-to-face in August, the first full month since most legal restrictions were lifted in England.
Dr Navin Kumta, Clinical Chair of Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group said: “We know that getting through on the phone can be difficult at the moment; and we understand the frustrations this causes. We want to assure you that we are working hard to make sure that everyone is seen in the best way for them.”
Of the 32,000 missed appointments, he added: “These slots are incredibly precious, and we would ask anyone who no longer needs their appointment to cancel in advance.”
