When it comes to booking a face-to-face appointment with a GP in Oldham, new data reveals some are worse than others - and fall below the national average.

Amongst the top complaints by patients in Oldham is the lack of available face-to-face appointments with their GP, with many being offered a telephone or online consultation instead.

READ MORE: The full list of Oldham GP practices ranked over face-to-face appointments

The latest NHS Digital figures for November 2022 point to prove that patients across the borough are less likely to obtain a face-to-face appointment in some Oldham GP surgeries than others.

While the situation is not unique to Oldham as national figures are still behind pre-pandemic levels, there were some in the borough that fall significantly below the national average (69 per cent).

READ MORE: The best 10 GP surgeries in Oldham to book a face-to-face appointment

So here were the top 10 worst GP surgeries out of the 35 in Oldham for booking a face-to-face appointment in November 2022:

1. MD Family Practice 

MD Family Practice (formerly the Danson Family Practice) in the Werneth Primary Care Centre on Featherstall Road has been ranked the very worst of the whole borough with just 39 per cent of 1,603 appointments over the month delivered in-person.

The surgery offered hundreds more telephone appointments (969) compared to face-to-face appointments (632), though none were offered via video link or online.

Percentage rate of face-to-face appointments: 39

2. Saddleworth Medical Practice

Saddleworth Medical Practice also struggled, coming in second place on the list of the worst with just 2,887 appointments out of 6,097 (47 per cent) offered in-person.

The Uppermill surgery further conducted 173 home visits, 3,033 telephone appointments and four online.

Percentage rate: 47


3. Oldham Family Practice

Oldham Family Practice in the Integrated Care Centre on New Radcliffe Street also scored low for the borough.

Of 1,750 appointments, 837 were delivered face-to-face while there were even more telephone appointments (864) and a further 49 home visits.

Percentage rate: 48

Interestingly, a few GP surgeries within the Oldham Integrated Care Centre have made it onto the worst top 10 list while one, Jalal Practice, was ranked one of the best for booking a face-to-face appointment in the borough.

Here are the remaining seven practices and their percentage rate:

  1. Woodlands Medical Practice, Middleton Road, Chadderton Town Health Centre/South Chadderton Health Centre (49 per cent)
  2. CH Medical Practice, Fields New Road, Chadderton (50 per cent)
  3. The Duru Practice, Integrated Care Centre, New Radcliffe Street (52 per cent)
  4. Dr Perkins' Practice, Integrated Care Centre, New Radcliffe Street (57 per cent)
  5.  Lindley House Health Centre, Integrated Care Centre, New Radcliffe Street (57 per cent)
  6. Springfield House Medical Centre, Huddersfield Road (60 per cent)
  7.  Hopwood House Medical Practice, Lees Road (62 per cent)