Patients waiting for a GP's appointment in Dorset are among those waiting the longest in the country, a new study reveals.

More than half a million doctor's appointments in the county involved a wait of more than three weeks - 9.57 per cent all all appointments, data shows.

A study by personal injury expert Claims.co.uk has revealed that NHS Dorset patients have to wait the second longest of any Integrated Care Board (ICB) in England.

ICBs are NHS organisations responsible for planning health services for their local population.

The study analysed NHS data from all of England’s 42 ICBs on GP appointments from July 2021 to December 2023 to identify those with the longest wait times based on the percentage which took more than 22 days – or three weeks.

NHS Dorset found itself second on the list with 517, 519 appointments taking over 22 days, which translates to 9.57 per cent of all appointments during that period – a total of 5,408,922.

These figures were taken from approximately 80 GP practices that are active in the county.

NHS Dorset says that some appointments which can be booked in advance are reflected in the figures and that the average wait is closer to two weeks.

A spokesperson for NHS Dorset said: “Despite being under intense pressure from increased demand and difficulties with recruitment, general practice in Dorset is committed to providing timely and quality healthcare services to all residents.

“Patients who need routine care appointments, such as diabetic check-ups, and flu vaccinations, can book these up to 6 weeks in advance, which reflects in these figures. Using our Dorset Insights Intelligence System, which pulls data directly from the clinical systems, we understand that the average routine wait time for an appointment in general practice is 14 days.”

In comparison, NHS Gloucestershire was first on the list, with 590,950 appointments that took over 22 days to occur, or 12.29 percent of all appointments.

Bottom of the list, or the ICB with the shortest waiting time, was NHS North East London with just 3.01 per cent of its 15,529,073 appointments waiting over 22 days.

A spokesperson for Claims.co.uk commented on the findings: "Reports indicating extensive wait times for GP appointments in regions like Gloucestershire, Dorset, and Norfolk and Waveney are troubling.

“These prolonged waits not only inconvenience patients but also pose potential risks to their health outcomes.

“Timely access to primary healthcare services is essential for early intervention and prevention of health issues.

"Addressing the underlying factors contributing to these lengthy waits, whether they stem from resource shortages, system inefficiencies, or other challenges, is imperative to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all individuals in these areas."