A LACK of face-to-face doctor appointments will see GP surgeries named and shamed in league tables, it has been announced.

It comes after GP's faced criticism for conducting consultations via telephone rather than seeing patients in person.

Dozens of residents in Bracknell Forest say they have experienced this, expressing how difficult it is to see a doctor in person.

Official figures show that 58 per cent of GP appointments in England in August were face-to-face.

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Before the pandemic, in August 2019, four in five appointments were carried out in person.

The NHS states that due to Covid-19 GP appointments are likely to be by phone or video.

These types of appointments can 'save you time waiting for a face-to-face appointment and means you do not need to go into a GP surgery'.

We asked our readers on Facebook if they had any problems booking face-to-face appointments in Bracknell, or if they had faced no issues at all.

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More than 100 of you responded with the majority of readers saying it is 'impossible' to get a face-to-face doctor's appointment.

Emma Hamer said: "Impossible. My daughter was ill for 16 days, when I finally got to the ‘doctors’ appointment at bedtime, it was a nurse. No disrespect to nurses, but it’s a child and not what I asked for. I pay my taxes and rarely go to the docs."

Christina Anderson said: "Nightmare. My daughters had a cough for 4 weeks brants bridge gave one lot of antibiotics which helped but now its back worse than ever. Can't get to see an actual doctor but they've prescribed more antibiotics and an Inhaler over the phone.

"How come EVERYONE can go back to seeing people face to face but not doctors?"

Vicki Dennis: "It’s extremely hard. As a person who lives with a life-limiting condition I need to be seen often."

Wendy Trenerry: "It’s very difficult getting face to face appointments!"

Susan Sweeney: "Given up trying."

Ben Saunders said: "Getting through in the phones it the first hurdle."

Zia A Clarke: "Nightmare...Appalling before Covid (scheduled appointments disappear, repeat prescription unable to obtain) So, unless I am literally dying, I try not too."

Abbi Woolford: "I appreciate the doctors are busy but I have been trying to get a doctors appointment for 2 weeks in regards to a rash on my arm. I have called 101, seen a pharmacist and had a telephone call with the doctor and still not convinced by the diagnosis as no one will physically look at it properly. Don’t want to both A&E but at the moment it’s my last resort."

Brian Tea: "Next to impossible in Owlsmoor. I needed an appointment recently and it took 77 Calls (my phone counted them not me) before I could speak to a receptionist.

"I then had to wait while she found a phone appointment and in fairness, my doctor did call when arranged. I do wonder however had my condition been something harder to describe than a throat infection would I have been able to get a face to face?"

However, Hanna Fox said: "I haven’t had an issue to be honest. I’ve always been able to get an appointment if needed"

Lauren Eskdale: "I have been very lucky but mine resulted from a smear test."

Dee Davina McNeill Hesson: "Never had a problem my docs surgery have been amazing can’t fault them."