PATIENTS in Winchester and Eastleigh say their access to GP services is among the best in the country.

According to a recent survey, patients said factors such as contacting their practice by phone put the area ahead of the rest of Hampshire, which also scored highly compared to other counties in England.

The GP Patient Survey said that 94 per cent of people in Winchester and Eastleigh, formerly part of Mid-Hampshire Primary Care Trust, said they were satisfied with how easily they could contact their practice by phone.

This was the highest score in the county and put Eastleigh and Winchester ahead of the Hampshire average of 91 per cent.

When asked if they had been able to book an appointment ahead, 90 per cent of Winchester and Eastleigh patients confirmed that they had, putting the area way ahead of the Hampshire's average score of 79 per cent.

Winchester and Eastleigh GP services also came out above the country average of 91 per cent when it came to giving patients a choice of doctor, as 93 per cent of patients in the area said they were able to book an appointment with a doctor of their choice.

The only area in which the areas scored lower than the county average was in being able to see a GP within 48 hours of request.

Figures showed that 83 per cent of people in Winchester and Eastleigh had been able to see a doctor in this time, compared to the Hampshire average of 89 per cent.

Julia Bagshaw, Head of Primary Care contracting in Hampshire, said the authority was pleased with the county's results.

She said: "The survey results reflect the commitment of GPs and practice teams across the county to meet the needs of patients.

"There are, however, a few practices who have a little more work to do, but the PCT will be offering support to those practices over the coming months."