Healthwatch in Sussex Poll Results: Recent Changes to GP practices

In September 2025, Healthwatch in Sussex sought people’s experiences of recent changes to GP practices, including using technology to access health services the introduction of new staff roles.

603 people across Sussex shared their experiences with us.

We heard:

Many respondents had not experienced care or treatment from staff in new roles in GP surgeries. The roles least frequency seen included paramedics (60% not seen), health and wellbeing coaches (87% not seen), and dieticians (89% not seen).
Respondents highlighted mixed satisfaction across the different roles in GP practices. Whilst approximately three-quarters were ‘satisfied’ with Paramedics (75%), Nursing Associates (74%) and Pharmacists (71%), this fell to 56% for Physiotherapists and 44% for Physician’s Associates.
The majority of respondents (62%) felt very confident/somewhat confident about using technology to access support for their health needs, with a quarter 26% feeling confident/very unconfident.
When asked if online services were available when needed, ordering a repeat prescription was most likely to be available (83% said it was available when needed) and booking an appointment was most likely to be unavailable when needed (45%).
Where respondents had used an online form to contact their GP, 47% rated their overall experience of using an online form very good/good compared to 31% who rated it poor/very poor.
Respondents most commonly (26%) told us animations or short films would best help them understand how to use technology and online services to access support for their health needs.

Respondents to our 2025 poll commonly told us:

There is a lack of understanding of the newer roles in GP surgeries but there have been some positive experiences
Many people are concerned about the shift to online health services for the elderly and digitally excluded
Online appointments are not always available when needed or are often fully booked

“There's no information available to tell you what services your surgery provides, or what you have been booked, so it's a surprise when you arrive to discover your appointment isn't with a doctor.”

“The additional posts used by the practice have reduced waiting times and improved availability of response.”

“It has really improved access to my surgery (which was already good). I am happy to see different practitioner’s as I don’t always need a GP.”

“As I'm not confident using online technology to access GP services, I want to have the option to telephone and/or speak face to face to staff directly [..] I am concerned that withdrawal of non-Digital services is discriminatory against older people, disabled people and BAME communities.”

“I accept the need for some form of remote contact and agree that it can be adequate in particular cases, but find the limited hours in which one can fill in a form requesting advice/an appointment unacceptable.”