GPs to be scored by patients in new ratings for NHS surgeries

The data, which will be published online, will be used to help GPs and the NHS identify where they need to make improvements to the care they offer patients.

Ministers hope the initiative will also empower patients to find the best care for their needs.

More than 8,000 GP practices will be involved in the project across England, with each getting a score out of 10.

Questions will include how convenient it was to book an appointment, how long patients have to wait in reception, what the opening hours are like and whether the doctors and nurses are good at explaining things and listening to patients.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patient’s Association, said its helpline was seeing increasing numbers of complaints about family doctors but she hoped the new system would help to tackle problems.

She said: “We welcome these proposals because they will result in more information being available for patients when they are making a choice about which GP to register with.

“They will also enable patients to compare the performance of their own GP with others.”

She added: “Our helpline is seeing a trend of increasing complaints about GPs, covering a number of areas, including difficulties obtaining an appointment, complaints about the behaviour of the reception staff and other factors that affect their overall experience.

“These changes will not resolve these issues overnight, but providing clear and easily comparable data is certainly a step forward.”

The new data will be available for patients to view on the NHS Choices website and will also allow patients to make quick and direct comparisons between different surgeries in their area and choose the right GP for their needs.

People will also be able to find a practice with experience of treating people with similar conditions such as diabetes, coronary heart disease or epilepsy.

Health Minister Lord Howe said: “As we set out in our information strategy, we want to make it easier for patients to find the best NHS care for them.

“Giving patients more information about their local NHS is a big part of our commitment to transparency and using data to drive improvements.

“Opening up this data is another step forward in giving people more choice.”