The Government has recently announced plans to transform GP services in the UK, changing the current funding format, which is more than two decades old.
Research found that people living in more deprived areas and coastal towns often have the highest needs for the NHS, but the fewest GPs, the worst performing services, and the longest waits.
Reception teams can play a big role in our experience at our GP practice, from booking appointments to inquiring about test results.
The latest GP Patient Survey, produced by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England, sheds light on patients’ experiences of GP reception teams across Tyne and Wear and beyond.
More than 700,000 patients in England completed the 2025 survey, which was carried out between January and March this year, and gathers information on how patients feel about their doctor’s surgery.
The survey reveals how patients really feel about their reception and administrative team at their GP practice. Across the country, the majority of patients described their reception team as ‘very helpful’ (42%) or ‘fairly helpful’ (41%).
However, not every GP surgery met expectations. Here we reveal the surgeries in Tyne and Wear where reception teams have been voted the worst by you.
Surgeries are ranked by the proportion of patients who said the reception and administrative team at their GP practice is ‘not very helpful or not at all helpful’.
21. Birtley Medical Group - Birtley
There were 343 survey forms sent out to patients at Birtley Medical Group in Birtley, and the response rate was 30%. 21% of patients said the reception team was 'not very helpful or not at all helpful.' | Google Maps