MORE than half of patients quizzed in a Sheffield health survey say they've struggled to contact their GP by phone.
Almost 500 residents took part in the survey for NHS Sheffield about the service offered by their family doctor.
Around 58 per cent of patients said they had problems making phone contact with their GP and 51 per cent said they were not dealt with
satisfactorily when contacting the out-of-hours service.
And 58 per cent said they were not being offered a choice of hospital when their GP referred them to a specialist.
NHS Sheffield, which holds contracts with 404 GPs, claims it will tackle the problems.
The survey showed 94 per cent of patients felt they were treated with respect and dignity, 84 per cent thought their doctor listened carefully to them and 79 per cent had trust and confidence in their GP.
Penny Brooks-Cordon, executive director of standards and engagement for NHS Sheffield said: "We are pleased to hear we are providing our patients with a good service and that some of the hard work we have put in to make improvements is showing results."
NHS Sheffield scored above the national average in four areas. Only 10 per cent of patients said they did not receive enough information about how to use medicines.
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