An urgent review of GP appointment systems in Cardiff has been ordered by the local health watchdog.
The local Community Health Council (CHC) has ordered a full-scale review of appointment procedures in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
The review will focus on different types of telephone systems, telephone triage arrangements and online and automated appointment booking.
The CQC has requested bi-monthly updates, with a target date set for 31 March 2015.
A recent survey of patient satisfaction in Wales showed that 93% of patients said their experience of general practice was “good”, “very good” or “excellent”.
Dr Paul Myres, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners Wales said: “Appointment systems are difficult, if not impossible to run in a perfect way as patients’ need for urgent or routine services does vary from day to day.
“Whilst satisfaction levels with general practice are very high access is likely to get worse if NHS Wales does not address the issue of increasing workload on practices with diminishing capacity.”
A spokesman for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board told Wales Online: “We will continue to work with the CHC and our GP partners to make sure those examples of best practice become the standard in all surgeries across Cardiff and Vale.”
