Patients continue to be happy with services at their local practice – in spite of growing difficulties in getting appointments, according to the findings of an annual survey of patients.

GP leaders welcomed the findings as a vote of confidence in practice services.

Some 83.8% of patients rated their experience of practice services a good while 68.6% were happy with their experience of making an appointment. 89.6% of patients rated receptionists as helpful.

The survey found that just 10% of patients booked appointments on-line with about 750,000 people taking part in the annual survey.

Royal College of GPs chair Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard said: “Hardworking GPs and our teams will be so encouraged to hear that despite the extreme resource and workforce pressures they are working under, 95.6% of patients have confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw.

“This truly is testament to the great efforts and dedication to patient care being shown by GP practice teams across the country.”

She added: “But patients are still waiting too long for a GP appointment, and too many are not getting an appointment when they want one. As well as being frustrating for patients, and GPs, this is concerning as it means patients might not be getting the treatment they need in the early stages of their condition – and their conditions will potentially become more serious.

“The plain truth is that existing GPs and our teams are working to absolute capacity and we just don’t have enough GPs to offer enough appointments.”

British Medical Association GP committee chair Dr Richard Vautrey said: “That trust and confidence in GPs remain high is down to the strong direct relationship between doctors and their patients, built up over many years of commitment, working in both smaller and larger practices but crucially always embedded in the local community.”

He added: “The survey also shows that patients are having to wait longer for appointments and are often unable to see their preferred doctor, and this causes understandable frustration for both patients and GPs alike.

“Practices do not have the resources to meet the ever-increasing demands of a growing population and despite how much the public values general practice, and the high standards of personalised, holistic care provided, without an urgent investment and action from the government and policymakers, the future of the GP practice remains at risk.”