South east London GPs ranked by same-day appointments in NHS survey

The findings come from the NHS England GP Patient Survey 2026, which gives patients the opportunity to rate their GP practice across a range of performance areas, including appointment accessibility and the quality of care they receive.

Patients were asked: “How long after you first contacted your GP practice did the appointment take place?"

The survey found significant differences between surgeries across Bromley, Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham, with the proportion of patients reporting they were seen on the same day ranging from more than half at some practices to as little as 1 per cent at others.

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Nationally, 76.7 per cent of patients said they had a good overall experience of their GP practice, while 72.6 per cent reported a good experience when contacting their surgery.

The survey also found increasing numbers of patients are using online services and the NHS app to access care.

Bromley

The highest proportion of patients reporting same-day appointments in Bromley was at:

• Bank House Surgery (48 per cent)
• Derry Downs Surgery (46 per cent)
• Stock Hill Surgery (40 per cent)
• The Park Practice (34 per cent)
• St James' Practice (33 per cent)

The lowest figures were recorded at:

• Whitehouse Surgery (9 per cent)
• Crescent Surgery (8 per cent)
• Manor Road Surgery (7 per cent)
• Dysart Surgery (7 per cent)
• Broomwood Health Centre (5 per cent)

Bexley

The highest proportion of patients reporting same-day appointments in Bexley was at:

• Bexley Medical Group (23 per cent)
• Welling Medical Practice (22 per cent)
• Lakeside Medical (21 per cent)
• Woodlands Surgery (20 per cent)
• Lyndhurst Road Medical Centre (18 per cent)

The lowest figures were recorded at:

• The Westwood Surgery (9 per cent)
• Plas Meddyg Surgery (6 per cent)
• Riverside Surgery (6 per cent)
• Bellegrove Surgery (5 per cent)
• Sidcup Medical Centre (1 per cent)

Greenwich

The highest proportion of patients reporting same-day appointments in Greenwich was at:

• New Eltham and Blackfen Medical Centre (39 per cent)
• Fairfield PMS (36 per cent)
• Conway PMS (36 per cent)
• Primecare PMS (South Street) (36 per cent)
• Falmouth Road Group Practice (34 per cent)

The lowest figures were recorded at:

• Burney Street PMS (10 per cent)
• The Villa Street Medical Centre (10 per cent)
• Waverley PMS (9 per cent)
• Plumstead H/C PMS (7 per cent)
• Plas Meddyg Surgery (6 per cent)

Lewisham

The highest proportion of patients reporting same-day appointments in Lewisham was at:

• Edenbridge Medical Practice (52 per cent)
• Amherst Medical Practice (39 per cent)
• Clifton Rise Family Practice (38 per cent)
• Town Medical Centre (37 per cent)
• Fairfield PMS (36 per cent)

The lowest figures were recorded at:

• The QRP Surgery (9 per cent)
• Deptford Surgery (9 per cent)
• Lee Road Surgery (7 per cent)
• Vesta Road Surgery (6 per cent)
• Lewisham Medical Centre (6 per cent)

The highest score across the four boroughs was recorded by Edenbridge Medical Practice in Lewisham, where 52 per cent of patients said their appointment took place on the same day they first contacted the surgery.

Meanwhile, Sidcup Medical Centre in Bexley recorded the lowest figure, with just 1 per cent of patients reporting they received a same-day appointment.

The figures highlight the significant variation in appointment availability across south east London surgeries, despite improvements in patient satisfaction nationally.

A spokesperson for NHS South East London said: "General practice continues to be the front door to the NHS for many people, and we know that being able to access care quickly when you need it is important to our residents.

"While the survey highlights variation between practices, it is important to recognise that practices serve different populations and offer a range of appointment types to meet local need.

"Same-day appointments are just one measure of access and do not necessarily reflect whether patients received the care they needed.

"While some patients require urgent appointments, many others prefer to book ahead so they can plan their care around work, caring responsibilities and other commitments.

"Patients will often be offered appointments at a later date where this is clinically appropriate.

"We are working closely with GP practices across south east London to improve access, including sharing learning from high-performing practices, supporting the use of modern telephone and online systems, and helping practices make best use of their workforce so that patients are seen by the right healthcare professional as quickly as possible.

"Community pharmacies also play an important role in providing same-day care, including through the Pharmacy First service, which enables people to access advice and treatment for a range of common conditions without needing a GP appointment.

"We would also encourage residents to make use of the NHS App, which makes it easier to access services and manage their healthcare online.

"We continue to invest in services and technology to help practices manage growing demand and improve the experience of patients accessing care. We remain committed to ensuring residents can access high-quality primary care wherever they live."