Patients in Surrey are being encouraged to share their experiences of getting a GP appointment with Healthwatch Surrey. It is part of a project the consumer champion for health and social care in Surrey has started to get a better picture of the experience that patients in Surrey have of making appointments with their GPs. The project will include a short survey for the public to complete and a single- question survey that is being sent to all GP practices.

Richard Davy, Healthwatch Surrey Board Member, explained why the project is being done: "There has been a lot of negative coverage in the national media recently about GP appointment bookings. We want to get a quick snapshot of how it really is for people in Surrey."

He continued: "We hope to share the information gathered from this survey with Clinical Commissioning Groups and the Health and Wellbeing Board."

The public survey can be completed online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WC8MSM6 or through Healthwatch Surrey's website: http://www.healthwatchsurrey.co.uk/content/gp-appointments-survey- 0. Copies of the survey can be picked up from all the Citizens Advice Bureaux and User-led HUBs in Surrey. People can also request a copy by contacting Healthwatch Surrey on telephone number 0303 303 0023 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The survey asks patients to:

• Say what ways they can book an appointment with their GP surgery.

• Rank how they would prefer to be able to book an appointment with their GP surgery.

• Share how often they have been able to book appointments on the day or time they wanted or with the GP they wanted.

• Share their experiences of booking or accessing appointments with their GP.

No individual GPs or GP Practices will be identified.