The Office for National Statistics' Health Insight Survey, commissioned by NHS England, shows that most (94.7%) of these patients were successful, with 77.0% making contact the same day.

Just under half (49.8%) of those who had successfully contacted their GP practice did so by telephone, according to the research, although 16.9% described this as ‘difficult'. Those who contacted their GP practice via online methods were most likely (72.3%) to describe the experience as ‘easy'.

The survey finds 70.5% of those who tried to contact their GP practice perceived their overall experience of the practice as either ‘very good' or ‘good'. Older adults were most likely (76.3%) to describe their experience as ‘very good' or ‘good' compared with those in the younger age groups (66.6%) for 16- to 24-year-olds. Adults from Asian ethnic groups were the most likely of all ethnic groups to describe their experience as either ‘poor' or ‘very poor' (21.2%) compared to 11.7% in the white ethnic group.

The poll also reveals 51.8% of adults reported having an NHS dentist, 34.4% had a private dentist, and 13.5% did not have a dentist. Males were more likely not to have a dentist (15.8%) than females (11.3%), the research finds. Adults in the South West and South East were most likely to have a private dentist.

In addition, 88.7% of adults with an NHS dentist who attended an appointment in the past 28 days, were ‘very satisfied' or ‘satisfied' with the care they received. Of those who did not have a dentist but tried to make an NHS dental appointment in the previous 28 days, 96.9% were unsuccessful.

The poll finds 55.1% of adults reported using NHS services from a pharmacy in the past 28 days and 86.3% of those doing so reporting being ‘very satisfied' or ‘satisfied' with the service they had received. However, 17.3% of those who had been dispensed an NHS prescription had a problem getting their prescription.

Throughout the survey, levels of satisfaction tended to be higher among the older age groups, those living in the least deprived areas, those without a long-term health condition and those in the white ethnic group.